PC 2109 
.C85 
Copy 1 




NG 



LE 



TRADUCTEUR FRANCOIS ; 

OR A 

PRACTICAL SYSTEM FOR TRANSLATING 
THE FRENCH LANGUAGE ; 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED 

OBSERVATIONS ON THE MODES GENERALLY PURSUED 

IN 

LEARNING LANGUAGES. 



BY MARIANO CUBI I SOLER. 



He that shortens the road to knowledge, lengthens life. 

COLTON. 



SECOND EDITION, 
Corrected, enlarged, and greatly improved. 



BOSTON: 

HILLIARD, GRAY, LITTLE, AND WILKINS. 

1828. 



DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, to wit : 

District Clerks Office. 
BE it remembered, that on the sixteenth day of September, A. D. 1828, and in the 
fifty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, Mariano Cubi 
i Soler, of the said district, has deposited in this office the title of a 
book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit : 
66 he Traducteur Francois ; or a Practical System for Translating the French Lan- 
guage ; to which are added Observations on the Modes generally pursued in Learn- 
ing Languages. By Mariano Cubi i Soler* He that shortens the road to knowledge, 
lengthens life. Colton.' J In conformity to an act of the Congress of the United 
States, entitled " An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies 
of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies during 
the times therein mentioned ; " and also to an act. entitled " An act supplemen- 
tary to an act, entitled * An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing 
the copies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies 
during the times therein mentioned ; ' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts 
of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." 

J NO. W. DAVIS, 
Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. 



CAMBRIDGE I 

Hilliard, Metcalf, & Company, 
Printers to the University. 



TO WILLIAM WIRT, Esq. 



ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES. 

Anxious to testify the sentiments of admiration which 
I have long cherished for you, I take the liberty to place 
your name at the beginning of this work. I am conscious 
that the prominent figure which you have made in the re- 
public of letters, the lustre which you have shed on your 
distinguished and arduous profession, and the many amia- 
ble virtues with which your character is adorned, require 
that your name should be inscribed on monuments more 
durable than those which I can ever aspire to raise. But 
as, in offering you this production, I have been impelled 
by the feelings of my heart, I hope you will accept it, 
however deficient, that it may stand as a pledge of the 
respect and consideration, with which 
I am, sir, 
Your obedient humble servant, 

MARIANO CUBI I SOLER. 



PREFACE. 



After a long continuance of unabated and unwearied 
toil, cheered only by the desire of being useful to this 
favoured country, the author has the pleasure to lay before 
the public his Traducteur Francois. If he be allowed 
to judge of this performance, by the progress which has 
been made in the Spanish language by every student of 
a common capacity who has used the Traductor Espanol, 
he may indulge a hope that- his wishes will not be altogeth- 
er frustrated. 

The writer assigned, in the preface to that production, 
some reasons which went to prove the necessity of an ac- 
quaintance with the ancient as well as the modern langua- 
ges. To advance any here, which would tend to show the 
importance of the language of Bossuet and Button to this 
country or to any other, would be unnecessary, and per- 
haps irrelevant. He will therefore proceed to lay before 
the public view, the palpable advantages which this per- 
formance holds forth to those who are desirous of acquiring 
this beautiful and universal language, through the medium 
of the English. , 

1. This book contains one hundred and sixty pages of 
the most beautiful and classic pieces with which French 
literature has been adorned. In these selections every vari- 
ety of reading will be found ; moral essays, interesting tales, 
pungent witticisms, fine narrations, elegant descriptions, 
oratorical beauties, and select pieces of poetry. By this 
means the student will be enabled, from the beginning, to 
form his taste on the best models of French literature, an 
advantage which, though seldom attended to, is by no 
means inconsiderable. 



vi 



PREFACE. 



2. As all the verbs, in their various ramifications, have 
been printed in italic characters, the student will not be 
unnecessarily bewildered when the tense of a verb and 
another part of speech shall be alike. In the latter pages 
of the work, this distinction has not been made, that he 
might have opportunities to exercise his knowledge and 
ingenuity. 

3. As every idiomatical expression, grammatical subtil- 
ty, difficulty of language, and peculiar manner of transla- 
ting uncommon words, has been fully explained at the bot- 
tom of every page, as it occurs, the student will find no 
barriers to arrest his progress, no intricate perplexities to 
throw his mind into confusion and despondency. Thus, 
whilst all these impediments are removed, he enters prac- 
tically and theoretically into the philosophy of language, 
by rules drawn from the very pages placed before his eyes. 

4. A Vocabulary, arranged in alphabetical order, of every 
word contained in the extracts, whether proper or common, 
primitive or derivative, has been attached to them. By 
this means the learner will not be obliged to refer to a 
number of volumes to translate his lesson ; nor will he be 
confused, if " occasional eclipses of the mind " should re- 
move from his recollection the root of any verb, or the ori- 
gin of any other part of speech. 

To these advantages the author would add that of sparing 
many a tear to young persons who are seldom taught 
by books suitable to their capacities. Indeed there cannot 
be a more affecting circumstance than to see young stu- 
dents distressed, or adults discouraged, when difficulties 
which might have been easily explained, will not yield to 
their reiterated efforts. This book will, it is fondlly hoped, 
put an end to all this unnecessary trouble, and prove to 
them a sure guide through every perplexity which they 
may find in the course of their studies. 

With the hope that the public will approve of the au- 
thor's labours in endeavouring to render the French lan- 
guage more easy of acquisition than it has been rendered 
by any one of his predecessors, he now redeems his pledge 
of presenting to the public this system of translation. 



PREFACE. 



vii 



Before he finishes these remarks, he would observe, that 
he has followed the orthography of Montesquieu, BufFon, 
Lacepede, in fine, the orthography sanctioned by the 
French Academy. Voltaire introduced a change of ai in- 
stead of oi, in the imperfects, conditionals, and some other 
words. This orthography was not adopted by those fathers 
of their language, when the change took place, and when 
they could judge, for themselves, of the advantages of such 
an alteration. The idea, that it would be improper in the 
writer to adopt an orthography contrary to the direct wish 
of the immortal authors whose writings grace the pages of 
this book, and that Voltaire, though a great man, had, like 
other men, a judgment which could be misguided, has in- 
duced him to adopt the orthography of the Academy.* 



* We have heard it surmised, that the French Academy have at last 
adopted the orthography of Voltaire. We shall suspend our belief of 
this rumour, until the next edition of their Dictionary be published* 



ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION, 



The many improvements and additions which have been 
made to this work, will, the author hopes, sufficiently prove 
that he has not been insensible to the favourable reception, 
and extensive patronage, that the first impression of it re- 
ceived from the public. Not being engaged in teaching 
the French language, the writer could only correct errors, 
or supply deficiencies, as they were suggested to him 
by those who had introduced the work in their semi- 
naries, or private classes. Among these individuals, the 
author feels greatly indebted to Mr. T. Bizouard, the 
distinguished professor of the French language in Bal- 
timore College, to whom Le Traducteur Francois, both 
in regard to plan and execution, owes much of the improv- 
ed state, in which it is now presented to the American 
people. 

That a fair and impartial opinion might be formed of the 
system itself, the author has deemed it expedient to com- 
pare it, in this edition, with the systems which have been 
heretofore generally pursued. To this end he has endeavour- 
ed to give a full and comprehensive view of those most in use, 
which the superiority he attached to the one he has follow- 
ed, seemed to demand. His opinion will, of course, be 
variously regarded ; but experience, the only test on which 
reliance can be placed, has fully shown that it rests on a 
more solid foundation than mere fanciful theory, 
a* 



X 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



It is not for the author to institute a comparison between 
the first and the second edition of the present work. Yet 
he cannot deliver it to the public without mentioning that 
many of the inaccuracies of idiom, and errors of the press, 
which disfigured the former, have been avoided in this edi- 
tion. Nor would he do justice to his feelings, were he to 
omit to acknowledge, that for important improvements of 
this nature, he is obliged to Mr. C. Folsom, of Cambridge, 
whose skill and exertions have been so advantageously em- 
ployed in attempting to raise in this country the standard of 
the more difficult branches of printing. 

Cambridge, Massachusetts, September 1, 1828. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



LECONS MORALES. 

Page 



Une Bonne Education; 1 

L'Impatience, ... ...... 2 

Les Passions, 3 

Dieu, 4 

La Religion, 5 

Le Luxe, 6 

L'Emploi du Temps, 7 

ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 

Le Pauvre et le Gentilhomme, 9 

Guillaume Tell, 10 

Le Proscrit et son Fils, . 13 

Gabrielle de Vergi, . . . . . . . 14 

Solon a la Com* de Cresus, 18 

Tendresse Filiale, ........ 23 

BONS MOTS. 

L'Aveugle et L'Etourdi, f ....... 26 

Le Due D'Orleans et un Etranger, ..... ib. 

L'Ambassadeur de Charles-Quint, 27 

NARRATIONS. 

L'Humanite de Fenelon, 28 

Le^Calme au Milieu de l'Ocean, ...... 31 

L'Eclipse de Soleil au Perou, 34 

L'Amerique Septentrionale, 35 

Combat et Triomphe de Duguay-Trouin, .... 37 

DESCRIPTIONS. 

Le Lever du Soleil, 38 

Le Printemps de la Grece, 40 



Xii CONTENTS. 

Les Deserts de PArabie Petree, 41 

La Cataracte du Niagara, ....... 42 

Le Cheval, 44 

Le Lion et le Tigre, ........ 45 

Le Dragon, . . . . . . . 47 

Les Plaisirs de la Vie Champetre, ..... 49 

De la Dignite de l'Homme, . . . . . .53 

L'Homme apres la Creation, . . . . . 55 

Du Ciel, . . . . 66 

De PAmour du Genre Humain, ...... 68 

La Jalousie, . . . . . . . . . . 70 

L'Eruption d'un Volcan, 72 

La Peste d'Athenes, ' . .74 

PORTRAITS. 

Bourdaloue, 78 

Massillon, 79 

Fontenelle, 80 

Bossuet, 82 

Robespierre, ... . . • . 84 

Coutbon, 95 

Saint-Just, 99 

Washington, 103 

MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 

Invocation au Dieu de la Nature, ..... 110 
Notre Indifference aux Devoirs de la Religion, . .111 

Exorde de L'Eloge de Catinat, 114 

Peroration de l'Eloge Funebre de Conde, .... 117 

Exorde de POraison Funebre de la Reine D'Angleterre, . 122 

Discours de Flavien a Theodose, 125 

Sur PArt d'Ecrire, 130 

MORCEAUX POETIQUES. 

LaVertu, 143 

La Famine de Paris, ..... . . 145 

La Campagne au Lever du Soleil, ...... 149 

Le Recit de Mithridate, 151 

Le Recit de Theramene, . . . . . . . 154 

Le Recit de Creon, ........ 157 

La Sensibilite, . . . . . . . . . . 159 

VOCABULARY, 161 

OBSERVATIONS ON THE MODES GENERALLY PUR- 
SUED IN LEARNING LANGUAGES, .... 309 



TRADUCTEUR FRANCOIS. 



LECONS MORALES. 



UNE BONNE EDUCATION. 

Une bonne education nous offre 1 mille ressources dans 
l'adversite, 2 et elle nous 3 preserve du 4 fol orgueil qu'zra- 

1 The verbs are marked in italics. 

2 To prevent the disagreeable sound which would be produced by 
the clashing of two vowels, the French make use of the apostrophe 
instead of the a, e, or i, attached to articles and particles, before words 
commencing with a vowel. Thus, for instance : Fadversite, and not 
la adversity 4 adversity ' ; range, and not le ange, 4 the angel ' ; quHn- 
spirent, and not que inspirent, 4 which inspire ' — Us n'ont, and not 
Us ne out, 4 they have not.' 

3 The pronouns me, te, se ; nous, vous ; le, lui, la, leur, les, corre- 
sponding to the English 4 me,' 4 thee/ s itself,' £ himself,' c herself,' or 
4 themselves ' ; c us,' c ye ' or 4 you ' ; 4 him/ 4 her,' 4 them ' ; are always 
placed before the verb, except in imperative or interrogative sentences. 

4 The frequent use of the article in the French language, offers con- 
siderable difficulties to the student whose language is the English. As 
the particular meaning and origin of each and every article will be found 
in the vocabulary, we shall only observe in this place, that when a noun 
is taken partitively, it must be preceded by du, if it be masculine sin- 

1 



2 



LECONS MORALES. 



Spirent 1 trop souvent les faveurs de la fortune. Elle repare 
Pinegalite des conditions ; elle nous donne les qualites qui 
font aimer ; elle nouS rend la solitude agr cable, et nous 
fait paroitre avec eclat dans le monde. Enfin, elle per- 
fections la raison,/brme le coeur, et developpe le genie. 

L'IMPATIENCE. 

L'homme impatient est entraine par ses desirs indomp- 
tes et farouches dans un abyme de malheur ; il n 3 attend 
rien, il ne se donne le temps de rien mesurer ; il force toutes 
choses pour se contenter ; il rompt les branches pour 
cueillir le fruit avant qu'il soit mur ; il brise les portes, 
plutot que 2 d'attendre qu'on 3 les lui ouvre : il vent moissonncr 



gular, and commence with a consonant or h aspirate, — by de V , if it be 
feminine or masculine, and commence with a vowel or h mute, — and 
by des, if it be in the plural, masculine or feminine. When these arti- 
cles are used, they are to be translated by of the, or some, or to be 
omitted, as the sentence may be most proper in English. 

1 The verb is not unfrequently placed before its nominative ; thus, 
quHnspirent, before les faveurs de la fortune. In English, the verb 
seldom or never goes before the noun, except m imperative or inter- 
rogative sentences. 

2 Plutot que, e rather than' ; as, plutot que d'attendre qu'on les lui 
ouvre, c rather than to wait until somebody opens them for him.' 

3 On, an indefinite pronoun, applicable to both numbers and gen- 
ders, and of more frequent use in the French language than any other 
part of speech. It corresponds to the English, we, they, a person, one, 
somebody. It is also employed to conjugate a verb passively or imper- 
sonally. For example, lorsq'oN vient a s* examiner, e whenever we 
come to examine ourselves ' ; on dit, ' it is said,' or ' they say ' ; on rtest 
pas toujours maitre de ses actions, e we are,' or e one' or £ a person 
is not always master of his own actions ' ; on n'est pas toujours mai- 
tresse de ses actions, ( a person is not always mistress of her actions 5 ; 
on lui a dit, i he has been told so, 5 or * somebody has told him so ' ; on 



LECONS MORALES. 



3 



quand le sage laboureur seme : tout ce qu'il 1 fait et la hate 2 
et a contre-temps 3 est mal fait ; et ne peut avoir de duree 4 
non plus que 5 ses desirs volages. 

LES PASSIONS. 

Des 6 que les passions ont pris le dessus, 7 la raison est 
dans le silence, 8 ou du moins 9 elle vCeleve plus qu'un voix 
foible et souvent importune ; le degout de la verite suit, le 
charme de l'illusion augmente, Ferreur se 10 fortifie, nous 



etudie la grammaire pour apprendre a parler et a ecrire correctement, 
4 we study grammar' or c grammar is studied to learn to speak and write 
correctly.' 

Note. If the pronoun on be preceded by et, 6 and,' si, 6 if,' ou> 
'or,' ou, 'where,' e in which,' 'from which,' c by which,' l'on is 
use'd instead of oisr, as, et l'ojv disoit, 6 and somebody was saying,' or 
4 and it was said ' ; si l'oiv regarde, ' if we look ' ; ou l'on voit evidem- 
mentquHl a etudie, ( by which we can evidently see that he has studied.' 
On, and not l'on, would be used, however, if le, la, lux, les, &c. fol- 
lowed, as, si on le regarde, 6 if a person looks at him ' ; et on lui 
disoit, ( and somebody was saying to him.' 

1 Tout ce que, e every thing.' 

2 A la hale, ' in a hurry.' 

3 A contre-temps, { untimely.' 

4 Avoir de duree, ( to last.' 

5 Non plus que, e no longer than.' 

6 Des, e as soon as ; ' for example, des que les passions ont pris le 
dessus, i the moment 'or c as soon as the passions have gained the 
ascendency.' 

7 Prendre le dessus,- e to take the lead,' ' to obtain the advantage 
over,' c to gain the ascendency ' ; as, les passions ont pris le dessus, 
6 the passions have gained the ascendency.' 

8 JEtre dans le silence, £ to be silent' ; as, la raison est dans le si- 
lence, i reason is silent.' 

9 Du moins, ( at least.' 

1° Se ; this is a reflective pronoun, meaning, < one's self,' ' itself 



4 



LEQONS MORALES. 



enframe, et nous conduit au malheur : car quel malheur 
plus grand 1 que de 2 ne plus rien 3 voir tel qu'il est, 4 de ne 
plus rien juger que 5 relativement a sa passion, de tfagir 
que par son ordre, de parottre en consequence injuste ou 
ridicule aux autres, et d'etre force a se mepriser soi-meme 6 
lorsqu'on 7 vient a examiner 2 

DIEU. 

Dieu a grave si visiblement dans tous les ouvrages de 
ses mains la magnificence de son nom, que les plus simples 

< himself,' 4 herself,' 6 themselves ' ; but it is very frequently used to 
conjugate a verb in the passive voice. In this case, its meaning corre- 
sponds to the various tenses of the verb c to be,' in English ; as, Verreur 
se fortifie, £ error is encouraged ' ; les amis se connoissent au besoin, 
£ friends are known in time of need ' ; cela pouvoit se faire, £ that could 
be done.' 

1 The words, pent il y avoir, c can there be,' are here understood. 

2 In some exclamatory sentences, the French use the word de, 
which is never translated in English ; as, quel malheur plus grand que 
de ne plus rien voir, literally, 6 what greater misfortune can there be 
than to see no longer any thing ' ; it might be translated by c how unf or- 
nate it is to see no longer any thing ' ; quelle erreur de s'ecarter du 
sentier de la vertu, 6 what a mistake is it to deviate from the path of 
virtue.' 

3 In French, two negatives are often used to strengthen the nega- 
tion ; as, ne plus rien voir, c to see no longer any thing.' 

4 Tel qu'il est, literally, e such that it is 5 ; the meaning is however, 
6 as it is,' ' in its true light ' or s colors.' 

5 Que, < that,' 6 which,' used as above, that is, after a negation, 
means, c except,' c but,' < unless it be ' ; as, que relativemen t a sa pas- 
sion, ( except concerning his passion.' 

6 Soi-meme, lui-meme, elle-meme, &c. 6 one's self,' 6 himself,' * her- 
self,' are often redundantly used, after a reflective verb. 

7 On; for an explanation of this word, see page 2, note 3. 



LECONS MORALES. 



5 



meme sauroient 1 l'y reconnoitre. II ne faat 2 pour eel a ni 3 
des lumieres sublimes, ni une science orgueilleuse ; les 
premieres impressions de la raison et de la nature suffisent. 
Nous voyons Pimmensite des cieux qui sont l'ouvrage de 
ses mains ; ces grands corps de lumieres qui roulent si 
regulierement et si majestueusement sur nos tetes, et au- 
pres desquels la terre tiest qu'un atome imperceptible. 
Quelle magnificence ! Q,ui a dit au soleil : " Sortez du neant 
et pr6sidez au jour " 1 et a la lune : " Paroissez, et soyez 
le flambeau de la nuit " 1 Qui a donne l'£tre et le nom a 
cette multitude d'etoiles qui decorent avec tant de splen- 
deur le firmament, et qui sont autant de soleils immenses 
attaches chacun a une espece de monde nouveau qu'ils 
eclair ent ? 

Massilkm. 

LA RELIGION. 
La religion nous a appris tout ce que nous avions interet 4 



1 Sauroient, ind. 3 per. pi. of the conditional, from savoir, < to 
know.' When this verb is used in the conditional, it is used for 
' could,' ' would be able ' ; as, les plus simples meme sauroient Vy 
reconnoitre, 'the most simple (persons) even would be able to see 
him in them.' 

2 Faut, ind. Zper. sin. from falloir, e to be necessary' or 'wanting ' ; 
as, il nefaut pour cela, ' for this ' or < that, it is not necessary ' or 4 we 
do not want.' 

3 JS% when repeated in the above manner, means, ' neither 

nor ' ; as, ni des lumi&res sublimes, ni une science orgueilleuse, 
' neither sublime talents, nor very great science.' 

4 The indefinite pronoun c a 9 or c an ' is frequently used in English, 
when it is omitted in French ; for instance, nous avions interet, < we 
had an interest.' By the meaning of the sentence, the student will 

1* 



6 



LECONS MORALES. 



de 1 savoir. Elle a ecarte tous les nuages, fixe toutes les 
incertitudes. Avec une autorite souveraine qu'aucune 
autre ne pouvoit remplacer, 2 elle nous a fait connoitre les 
verites que nous devons croire, les devoirs qui nous sont 
imposes, les biens et les maux que nous avons a esperer ou 
a craindre. Elle nous a presente, dans des monumens 
venerables Fhistoire de la naissance du rnonde, le plan des 
desseins et de la conduite de Dieu sur le genre hum am. 

LE LUXE, 

Ce vice, qui en attire 3 une infinite d'autres, est loue 
comme une vertu ; il repand sa contagion depuis le roi 
jusqu'aux derniers de la lie du peuple. Les proches 
parens du roi veident imiter sa magnificence ; les grands, 
celle des parens du roi ; les gens mediocres 4 veulent egaler 
les grands, car, qui est ce qui se fait justice ? Les petits 



always know when the article should be used in English, and when 
not. 

1 It may not be improper to observe, that a French verb sometimes 
requires a different preposition in English ; for example, nous avions 
interet de savoir, ( we had an interest to know.' As in French a pre- 
position generally governs the infinitive and in English the present 
participle, the student need only change the preposition, when necessa- 
ry, and render every infinitive governed by a preposition in French, by 
the present participle in English ; as, nous avions interet de savoir, 
6 we had an interest in knowing.' 

2 Remplaeer, c to be substituted for ' ; as, avec une autorite souve- 
raine, qu'aucune autre ne pouvoit remplacer, ( with a sovereign au- 
thority for which no other could be substituted. 5 

3 Aitirer, c to attract,' c to allure ' ; used as above, 4 to be the cause 
of ; as, ce vice qui en attire une infinite d'autres, 6 this vice which 
is the cause of numberless others.' 

4 Les gens mediocres, ' people in the middle state of life.' 



LECONS MORALES. 



7 



veulent passer pour mediocres : tout le monde 1 fait plus 
qu'il ne pent ; les uns par faste, et pour se prevaloir 2 de 
leurs richesses ; les autres par mauvaise honte, 3 et pour 
cacher leur pauvrete. 

Fenelon. 

L'EMPLOI DU TEMPS. 

Le temps est precieux; mais on n'en 4 connoit pas le 
prix : on le connoitra quand il n'y 5 aura plus lieu 6 d'en 

1 Tout le monde, ' every body/ ' every one. 5 

2 Se prevaloir, ' to take advantage of ; used as above, ' to make a 
show of ' ; et pour se prevaloir de leur richesses, ' and to make a show 
of their wealth.' 

3 Mauvaise honte, ' false shame.' 

4 En, like y, is used sometimes as a relative pronoun, and sometimes 
as an adverb. When it is used as a relative pronoun, it corresponds to 
the English, ' of or ' from,' or 6 with it,' &c. 6 of or ' from him,' ' of 
or e from her,' 4 of or 'from them,' ' of or 'from that.' When the 
particle is used as an adverb, it means, 'of or ' from there ' or ' that 
place ' ; examples ; et que vous n'en emporterez rien, ' and that 
you will not take away any thing from it ' ; fen mens, ' I come from 
that place ' ; fy en porterai, ' I shall carry (some) of it there.' 

5 Y is used sometimes as a relative pronoun, and sometimes as an 
adverb ; when it is used as a pronoun, it means ' to it,' ' to him,' 
' to her,' ' to them,' ' to this,' or ' to that,'— and also, ' in' or 
4 with it,' 'in' or ' with him,' ' in her,' ' in them,' ' in this,' ' in that.' 
When this particle is used as an adverb, it means, ' there,' or ' thither ' ; 
examples, puisque vous n'y tenez a rien, 1 since you are attached to 
nothing in it ' ; je m'y accoutume, 6 1 accustom myself to this ' ; fy 
vais, ' I go thither ' ; ily est, ' he is there.' Fis also used to conjugate 
the impersonal verb avoir ; as, il y a, ' there is ' ; il y avoit, ' there 
was.' 

6 N'y avoir plus lieu, ' to be no longer any room ' or ' occasion ' ; 
quand il n'y aura plus lieu d'en projiter, ' when there will be no 
longer any room to take advantage of it.' 



6 



LECONS MORALES. 

7 



prqfiter. Nos amis nous le demandent comme si ce vfetoit 
rien, et nous le donnons de meme. 1 Souvent il nous est a 
charge, 2 nous ne savons qu'en faire? et nous en sommes 
embarrasses, Un jour viendra qu'un 4 quart d'heure nous 
paroitra plus estimable et plus d6sirable, que toutes les 
fortunes de l'univers. Dieu, liberal et magnifique dans 
tout le reste, 5 nous apprend, par la sage economie de sa 
providence, combien nous devrions etre circonspects 6 
sur 7 le bon usage du temps, puisqu'il ne nous en donne 
jamais deux instans ensemble, et qu'il ne nous accorde le 
second qu'en retirant le premier et qu'en retenani le 
troisieme dans sa main avec une entiere incertitude si 
nous Yaurons. 



1 De meme, c in the same manner.' 

2 Etre a charge, 6 to be a burthen ;' as, souvent il nous est a charge, 
' frequently it is a burthen to us.' 

3 Qu'en faire, ( what to do with it.' 

4 Que, used as above, means, c when ' ; as, un jour viendra qu'un 
quart d'heure, e a day will come when a quarter of an hour.' 

5 Tout le teste, ( every thing else.' 

6 Circonspect, means, 6 circumspect,' ' prudent ' ; used as above, 
c careful/ 6 particular.' 

7 Sur, ' on,' ' upon ' ; used as above, ( with regard to,' « respecting,' 
e as to.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



LE PAUVRE ET LE GENTILHOMME . 

Un pauvre homme ayant ete ramasser du bois dans la 
foret de Hydepark pres de Londres, vit un gentilhomme 
bien mis, 1 qui se promenoit d'un air triste et reveur. 2 Ce 
pauvre homme, croyant que c'etoit un officier qui venoit la 
pour se battre en duel, 3 se caclia derriere un rocher. Le 
gentilhomme tfapprocha de cet endroit, 4 ouvril une lettre 
qu'il hit d'un air fort emu, 5 et qu'il dechira. II tira ensuite 
un pistole t de sa poche, regarda 1' amorce et battit la pierre 
avec une clef. Apres avoir Q jete son chapeau en Fair, il 
appuya 7 le pistolet sur son front, l'amorce prit, 8 mais le 
coup 9 ne par tit point. L'homme,qui s'6toit cache, s'elanga 



1 Bien mis, literally, 4 well placed 5 ; used as above, 4 well dressed.' 

2 D'un air triste et reveur, literally, c with a sad and pensive air ' ; 
c with marks of sadness and melancholy. 5 

3 Se battre en duel, e to fight a duel. 5 

4 S'approcher de, 4 to approach 5 ; as, s'approcha de cet endroit, 6 he 
approached that place. 5 

5 D'un air fort emu, literally, c with a very disturbed or affected air 5 ; 
used as above, e as if he was very much affected.' 

6 Apres avoir, literally, c after to have 5 ; but as a preposition governs, 
in English, the present participle, we should say 1 after having. 5 

7 Appuyer, ( to prop 3 or 6 recline 5 ; used as above, e to put to 5 or 
4 apply 5 ; as, il appuya le pistolet sur son front, ( he applied 5 or c put 
the pistol to his forehead. 5 

8 Prendre, when employed in regard to fire-arms, should be ren- 
dered by 4 to take fire 5 ; as, V amorce prit, 4 the priming took fire. 5 

9 Coup, 4 blow, 5 4 load 5 ; when applied to fire-arms, it should be trans- 
lated by the name of the weapon itself; thus, mais le coup ne partit 



10 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



sur l'officier etlui arracha son- pistolet ; mais celui-ci 1 mit 
Tepee a la main 2 pour en percer son liberateur, qui lui dit 
froidement : "Frappez, je crains aussi peu la mort que vous, 
mais }'ai plus de courage ; il y a? plus de vingt ans que je 
vis dans la peine et dans Pindigence, mais je laisse a Dieu 
le soin de mettre fin a mes maux." Le gentilhomme, 
touche de cette courte harangue, resta un instant immobile, 
rtpandit un torrent de larmes, 4 ettira sa bourse qu'il donna 
a cet honnete vieillard, en le priant de ne faire aucune 
perquisition 5 pour savoir qui il etoit, et lui jura qu'il 
abandonnoit sa detestable entreprise. 

GU1LLAUME TELL. 

Le ridicule despotisme de Gessler, chez 6 les Helvetiens, 
Jit perdre a. la maison d'Autriehe, vers le commencement du 
treizieme siecle, la souverainete qu'elle avoit conservee 
jusqu' alors 7 sur ces peuples. Ce Gessler, homme bizarre 



point, should be translated; 6 but the pistol did not go off.'* If we were 
speaking of a cannon, thus, le coup ne partit point, {de canon, 6 of 
the cannon,' understood,) we should say, 6 the cannon did not go off. 9 

1 Celui-ci, celle-ci, ceux-ci, should be translated by c this,' 6 these,' 
or 6 the latter ;' and, celui-la, celle-la, ceux-la, by 6 that,' e those,' or 
( the former.' 

2 Mit Vepee a la main, literally, e put the sword to the hand ' ; used 
as above, 4 clapped his hand to his sword.' 

3 II y a plus de vingt ans que, ' it is more than twenty years since.' 

4 Repandit un torrent de larmes, ' shed a torrent of tears.' 

5 En le priant de ne faire aucune perquisition, ( begging of him 
not to make any inquiry.' 

6 Chez, when used as above, is employed instead oiparmi, ( among ' ; 
chez les Helvetiens, should therefore be translated, by, * among the 
Helvetii' or 4 Swiss.' 

7 Jusqu' alors, < until that time.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



11 



et cruel, s'avisa 1 un jour de mettre un chapeau au bout 
(Tune perche, qu'il^ planter^ sur la place 3 d'Altorf, avec 
ordre aux passaris 4 de saluer ce chapeau, comme si oSetoit 
lui-meme. Un laboureur nomme Guillaume Tell, ayant 
manque a 5 cette formalite, Gessler le fit venir pour lui 
demander la raison de sa desobeissance. Le paysan s'excusa 
en disant qu'il n'avoit aucune connoissance de cette loi, sans 
quoi 6 il tiauroit pas manque de s'y conjormer. Peu con- 
tent 7 de cette reponse, le ministre autrichien or donna au 
laboureur, ou 8 de lui dire la verite, ou d'abattre d'un coup 
de fleche, 9 une pomme sur la tete de celui de ses enfans 



1 S'avisa, literally, c to advise one's self ; but it is always used to 
denote, 6 to think of,' e to conclude, 1 ' to take into one's head'; as, 
s'avisa un jour, c one day thought of.' 

2 Faire, when used before an infinitive, and in the manner above, 
denotes, c to order,' c to command,' &c. ; for example, il fit planter 
une perche sur la place d'Altorf, 6 he ordered a pole to be planted,' or 
c ordered that a pole should be phnted, in the principal square of Altorf.' 

3 Place, means, 6 place,' e square * ; but when used alone, and with 
regard to a city, should be translated by c the principal square.' 

4 Aux pas sans, £ those that might pass.' 

5 Manquer a, 6 to fail,' or e not to comply with ' ; as, ayant manque 
a cette formalite, ' not having complied with that formality.' 

6 Sans quoi, 6 without which ' ; meaning, c which if he had known.' 

7 Peu content de, c little contented with ' ; better, c not satisfied with.' 

8 Ou, repeated in the above manner, means, c either,' i or ' ; for ex- 
ample, ou de lui dire la verite, ou d' abattre d'un coup de fleche une 
pomme, £ either to tell him the truth, or to take off (or bring down) an 
apple, with a shot of an arrow, from.' 

9 Coup is translated by ' shot,' or ' blow.' If by coup is meant the 
injury received from the discharge of the contents of any weapon, coup is 
* shot ' ; as coup de canon, ' a shot of a gun.' But if coup mean a 
blow with the weapon itself, then coup should be translated by c blow 7 ; 
as, coup de baton, ( a blow with a stick ' ; coup de pierre, ( a 



12 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



qu'il aimoit le plus ; ajoutant que s'il manquoit son coup, 1 
il lui feroit oter la vie a lui-meme. Ce pere malheureux 
tiayant pu adoucir son juge, ni 2 par ses pleurs, ni par ses 
prieres, prit la fleche et la decoclia avec tant de bonheur 
qu'il abaltit la poinme, a cent vingt pas de distance, sans 
faire aucun mal a son fils. La joie du pere fat egale 
au depit du gouverneur, qui, dans le dessein 3 de perdre 
Guillaume, lui suscitcfi une autre querelle sur ce qu'il avoit 
une deuxieme fleche dans son carquois. II voulut savoir a 
quel usage 5 elle etoit destinee : " A te tuer toi-meme ! " G 
lui repondit hardiment le laboureur ; ce qu'il executa dans 
le temps meme que le gouverneur donnoit ses ordres pour 
le faire conduire en prison. Plusieurs citoyens se reunirent 
a Guillaume apres la mort du tyran, et cette alliance fut le 
fondement de la Republique Helvetique, qui dure depuis 
plus de quatre cents ans. 7 

blow with a stone J ; coup de poignard, 1 a blow with a dagger, 5 « a 
stab.' 

1 Manquer le coup, c to miss the shot ' or 6 blow ' ; as, ajoutant que 
sHl manquoit son coup, ' adding, that if he missed his shot.' 

2 JVi, when repeated, as has been said, means, c neither nor ' ; 

as, ni par ses pleurs, ni par ses prieres, e neither by tears nor suppli- 
cation.' 

3 Dans le dessein, literally, c in the design ' ; used as above, « de- 
termined ' ; as, dans le dessein de perdre Guillaume, 4 determined to 
ruin William.' 

4 Susciter une querelle, * to raise a quarrel ' ; as, lui suscita une 
autre querelle sur ce quHl avoit, c raised another quarrel with him on 
this, that he had,' (about his having.) 

5 A quel usage, for what purpose.' 

6 Moi-meme, toi-meme, lui-meme, fyc. are sometimes redundantly 
used, after me, te, le, &c. 

7 Qui dure depuis plus de quatre cents ans, ( which has lasted for 
more than four hundred years. 5 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVE S. 



13 



LE PROSCRIT ET SON FILS. 

Le fils d'Oppius renouvela Pexemple de la piete d'Enee 
avec un pareil succes. Oppius, age et infirme, se voyant 
proscrit, ne croyoit pas qu'un reste de vie languissante 
valut la peine 1 d'etre conserve, et il vouloit attenclre tran- 
quillement dans sa maison les meurtriers. Cependant il 
ne put resister au zele et aux instances de son fils, qui le 
prit sur ses epaules ; et, charge de 2 ce precieux fardeau, 
traversa toute la ville, meconnu des uns, et attirant le res- 
pect des autres par la beaute 3 d'une si louable et si gene- 
reuse action. Lorsqu'ils furent hors de Rome, le fils, tantot 4 
aidant son pere a marcher, tantot le portant, si la fatigue 
devenoit trop grande pour le vieillard, le conduisit ainsi 
jusqu'a la mer d'ou il le Jit passer en Sicile. 

Cette preuve admirable de piete brilla beaucoup dans 



1 Valoir la peine, 1 to be worth/ < to be worth while ' ; as, valut la 
peine d'etre conserve, e was worth preserving ' or ( to be preserved.' 

2 Charge de, ' loaded with.' 

3 Beaute means ' beauty,' but every student will readily perceive 
that 6 beauty ' is not the word which should be used in this sentence. 
This will frequently take place. A word has more meanings, or can 
be applied under many more acceptations in one language, than in 
another ; and whenever this is the case, it becomes the duty of the 
learner to find out the word, which will correspond to the just meaning 
of the one he wishes to translate. For example, la beaute d'une si 
louable et si genereuse action, 1 the excellence, the greatness, the 
magnificence of so laudable and generous an action.' 

4 Tantot, means, e by and by,' c a little while ago ' ; but when re- 
peated, as above, should be translated by * sometimes ' ; for example, 
tantot aidant son pere a marcher, tantdt le portosat, ' sometimes help- 
ing his father to walk, sometimes carrying him ' (on his back). 

2 



14 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCT1VES. 



un temps ou tout etoit plein d'exemples 1 de fils denatures. 
Le peuple en garda le souvenir ; et quelque temps apres, 
lorsque le calme fut retabli dans Rome, il jit le jeune 
Oppius Edile. 2 Mais les biens de son pere ay ant ete con- 
fisques, TEdile n'avoit pas de quoi faire la depense 3 des 
jeux qu'exigeoit sa charge. Les ouvriers lui fournirent 
gratuitement leurs peines et leurs services : et les specta- 
teurs se taxant chacun selon sa volonte et son pouvoir, 
jeterent sur l'orchestre une assez grande quantite d'argent 
pour reparer, a l'egard 4 d'Oppius, l'injustice du sort. 

GABRIELLE DE VERGI. 

Gabrielle de Vergi, d'une naissance illustre, 5 et qui vivoit 
du temps des Croisades,/w£ la triste victime de l'implacable 
jalousie. Elevee des l'enfance avec Raoul de Couci, jeune 
homme de grande esperance, elle avoit con§u pour lui les 
plus tendres sentimens. Couci, de son cote, xi'imaginoit 
point de plus grand bonheur que l'assurance charmante de 
passer avec Gabrielle le reste de ses jours. Mais les parens 
de cette jeune personne, qui, sans doute, tfavoient jamais 
senti la douceur d'une union formee par Pestime et le ten- 



1 Dans un temps ou tout etoit plein d'exemples de fils denatures, 
literally, 4 at a time where all was full of examples of unnatural sons 9 ; 
but it should be said, c at a time when examples of cruel children were 
continually offered ' or ' presented to our view.' 

2 JEdile ; the e aedile ' was a Roman magistrate who inspected public 
edifices, games, &c. 

3 De quoi faire la depense, literally, c of what to make the expense ' ; 
but this sentence should always be translated by, ( the means of defray- 
ing the expense.' 

4 A regard de or d\ e with regard to.' 

5 D'une naissance illustre, « of an illustrious origin.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCT1VES. 



15 



dre amour, la livrhrent entre 1 les mains de Fayel, homme 
cruel, barbare et jaloux. Cet homme feroce lui ft un crime 2 
d'avoir eu un coeur sensible. En vain cette malheureuse 
epouse chercha a calmer 3 les soup^ons de son tyran par la 
conduite la plus sage et les attentions les plus marquees ; 
elle ne put eviter d'etre livree aux horreurs d'une noire pri- 
son. Couci, instruit 4 du sort de cette amante, qui lui 
etoit devenue encore plus chere depuis qu'elle souffroit 9 
consent a ^'eloigner des lieux qu'elle habite : il fait plus, il 
concoit le genereux dessein dialler chercher la mort dans 
les combats contre les Sarrasins ; trop heureux, si tfette mort 
pent calmer la jalousie de Fayel, et adoucir le sort de Pin- 
fortunee Gabrielle. II se met a la t£te de deux cents 
chevaliers choisis, et fait des prodiges de valeur ; mais 
comme il alloit au-devant 5 du coup qui devoit Q Yarracher a 
la vie, 7 il trouva bientot la mort sur un tas de Sarrasins 



1 Entre, * between,' * among ' ; used as above, ' into,' c to ' ; as, la 
livrerent entre les mains de Fayel, 5 delivered her into the hands of 
Fayel. 5 

2 Lui fit un crime, 6 made it a crime in her.' 

3 Chercha a calmer, literally, c sought to calm ' ; used as above, 
* endeavoured to appease.' 

4 Instruit. A participle absolute, when used as above, should be 
translated by the present participle being, and the past participle trans- 
lated from the French ; as, instruit du sort, « being informed of the 
fate.' 

5 Mler au-devant, 'to precipitate one's self into,' 'to go to meet,' 
' to go in search of ; as, alloit au-devant, 6 went in search of.' 

6 Devoit, ( owed ' ; but, when used as above, 6 was to,' c must.' 

7 Arracher a la vie, literally, c to pull,' c to draw,' e to pluck, &c. to 
the life ' ; but its meaning is, 6 to take one's life away ' ; as, mais comme 
il alloit au-devant du coup qui devoit Varracher [a la vie, ' but as he 
was going to meet the blow ' or 4 in search of the blow, which was to 
take away his life.' 



16 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



tues ou blesses. Alors sent ant sa fin s'approcher, il appelle 
son ecuyer, et d'une main qu'il conduit 1 a peine, il lui re- 
met une lettre qu'il vient^ d'ecrire sur son bouclier. " Ne 
plains point mon destin," lui dit-il, " gemis plutot sur le 
sort de celle qui n'a pu fl'echir une barbare epoux. Porte 
a cet adorable objet mon cceur et ce billet oufai trace 
quelques mots : je me fie a 3 ton zele pour moi.' ; Et il ex- 
pire en prononcant le nom cheri de Gabrielle. L'ecuyer 
pour mieux s' acquitter 4 de sa commission se dtguise et va 
aux environs du chateau de Fay el epier le moment d'y entrer 
sans 6tre apergu. Mais cet ho in me jaloux, qui ttoit tou- 
jours sur pied, 5 Yapergut le premier. II le prend aussitSt 
pour un de ses rivaux, croit le reconnoitre, s'en approche 
tout doucement, et le tue d'un coup de poignard. 

II reconnoit bient6t que c'est l'ecuyer de Couci ; et crai- 
gnant tout d'un tel rival, Wfouille avec une barbare activite 
ce fidele domestique. Quelle joie s'empare 6 de son ame ! 
Couci riest plus ! . . . il tient le cceur de celui qu'il a tant re- 
doute ; mais lorsqu'il cut fini de lire la lettre pleine de 

1 Conduire, ' to conduct,' 4 to lead,' used as above, c to raise/ 4 to 
move ' ; as, et cfune main qu'il conduit a peine, € and with his hand 
which he can scarcely move. 5 

2 Venir de, literally, c to come from, 5 hut, used as above, that is, 
before an infinitive, should always be translated by, c to have just ' ; as, 
qu'il vient d'ecrire, 6 which he has just written. 5 

3 Je me fie a, ' I trust to, 5 6 1 rely on. 5 

4 Pour mieux s' acquitter de sa commission, ( to discharge his duty 
better. 5 

5 Sur pied, literally, c on foot. 5 It is generally used to mean, e on 
one's guard 5 ; as, mais cet homme jaloux, qui etoit toujour s sur pied, 
'but that jealous man, who was always on his guard. 5 

6 S'emparer, 6 to take possession of 5 ; quelle joie s'empare de son 
dme I e what joy takes possession of his soul '• — better, 6 he is over- 
whelmed with joy. 5 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



17 



tendresse de cet amant, la jalousie s'empare de tous ses 
sens, et lui inspire 1 le plus noir des projets. " Je veux" 
dit~i\, " que ce coeur aime de la parjure 2 lui soit presente 
comme un mets." II donne ses ordres. Le repas funeste 
est servi. Gabrielle ce jour-la 3 par un pressentiment in- 
connu fr'emit d'horreur en $> appro chant de son epoux. 
Celui-ci la presse, la sollicite 4 de manger ; elle se rend par 
complaisance : u Ce mets," lui dit-i\ d'un air cruellement 
moquer, f< ce mets a du 5 te plaire, car c'est le coeur de ton 
fidele Couci." Elle tombe aussitot sans connoissance ; 6 
mais le barbare Fayel, dont la vengeance n'est pas encore 
assouvie, lui donne des secours, et lui rend le jour qu'elle 
fuit : 7 il lui commande, sous les plus grandes menaces, de 
lire la lettre qu'il lui presente. Gabrielle la recoit en fre- 



1 Lui inspire, < inspires into him ' ; better, c suggests to him.' 

2 La parjure. The French language is remarkable for the facility 
with which almost all its adjectives can be employed as substantives, 
expressing a person with the quality denoted by the adjective used ; 
as, la parjure, ( the peijured female,' or 6 she that has perjured herself;' 
Vindolent, i the indolent person.' Que ce c&ur aime de la parjure lui 
soit presente comme un mets, 4 that this heart loved by ' or ' dear to her 
that has perjured herself, be presented to her as a dish.' 

3 Ceci, and cela, &c. which mean 1 this ' and * that,' are divided when 
placed before a substantive ; as, ce jour-ci, 6 this day ' ; ce jour-la, 
< that day,' &c. 

4 La sollicite de manger, < solicits her to eat.' 

5 Devoir, when used as above, means, c necessity,' &c. When 
plaire is used as above, the word which in French is the nominative, 
becomes in English the objective case ; as, ce mets a du te plaire, ' that 
dish you must have liked.' 

6 Sans connoissance, literally, c without knowledge ' ; used as above, 
* senseless ' ; as, elle tombe sans connoissance, ( she falls senseless.' 

7 Qu'elle fuit, literally, 6 which she flies ' ; but it were better to say, 
6 which she does not wish to see.' 

2* 



18 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



missant ; mais a peine a-t-elle 1 aper£U les caracteres traces 
par Finfortune Couci, qui lui apprend^ qu'il meurt avec 
joie pour elle ; qu'un froid mortel s'empare de tous ses sens. 
Fayel fait de nouveaux efforts pour la rappeler h la vie, 3 
mais elle rietoit deja plus. 

SOLON A LA COUR DE CRESUS. 

Le nom seul de Cresus, qui a tourne en 4 pvoveYbe, porte 
Fidee de grandes ricliesses. Les siennes, 5 a enjuger 6 par 
les presens qu'il envoy a au temple de Delphes, devoient 
etre immenses. Ces presens subsistoient encore la plupart 
du temps 7 d'Herodote, et montoient a plusieurs millions. 
Les tresors de ce prince pouvoient etre en partie le fruit de 
certaines mines situees, selon Strabon, entre Pergame et 
Atarne ; aussi bien que d'une petite riviere que rouloit un 



1 Whenever the pronoun comes after the verb, the verb and the pro- 
noun are joined by a hyphen ; and if the pronoun begins and the verb 
ends with a vowel, aiis added and placed in the middle ; thus, a peine 
a-t-elle, 6 scarcely has she ' ; qu'y a-t-il de nouveau ? ' is there any 
news ' ? quoi ! ne puis-je pas parler ? ( what ! cannot I speak ? ' 

2 Apprendre, used as above, c to inform ' ; as, qui lui apprend, 
6 who informs her.' 

3 Rappeler a la vie, literally, 6 to recall to the life, 3 that is, ' to re- 
store to life. 3 

4 Towner en (devenir), literally, 6 to turn into,' used as above, 
should always be translated, c to become y ; as, qui a tourne en pro- 
verbe, ( which has become a proverb ' or c a by-word.' 

5 The possessive adjective pronouns, c his,' e hers,' < theirs,' &c. are 
always preceded, contrary to English usage, by the article in French. 

6 A, this preposition, used as above, should be rendered by if, and a 
subjunctive ; as, a en juger par, c if we are to judge of them by.' 

"7 Du temps, c in the time.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



19 



sable d'or ; c'est le Pactole. Du temps de Strabon, elle 
riavoit plus 1 cet avantage. 

Ces richesses, chose assez rare, riamollirent point son 
courage. II jugeoit 2 indigne d'un roi de passer ses jours 
dans une molle oisivete. 3 Les lettres et les sciences fai- 
soient 4 son plus grand plaisir. Sa cour etoit le sejour as- 
sez ordinaire 5 de plusieurs de ces fameux savans, si connus 
dans l'antiquite sous le nom des Sept Sages de la Grece. 

Solon, Tun des plus celebres d'entr'eux, apres avoir etabli 
de nouvelles lois a Athenes, end devoir Q s'en ahsenter pen- 
dant quelques annees, et projiter de ce temps pour faire 
differens voyages. II vint a Sardes, et il y fat regu comme 
le demandoit 1 la reputation d'un si grand homme. Le 
prince, accompagne d ? une nombreuse cour, parut dans tout 
l'eclat de la royaute, et avec les habits les plus magni- 



1 Plus, is frequently used for, 4 longer,' or 4 any longer. 5 

2 Juger, e to judge,' used as above, 4 to think,' 4 to consider ' ; as, il 
jugeoit indigne oVun roi de passer, 4 he thought it ' or 4 considered it 
unworthy of a king to pass.' 

3 Molle oisivete, literally, 4 soft indolence ' ; it means, however, 
4 luxury,' 4 delight,' 4 pleasure.' 

4 Faisoit, literally, 4 made ' it should be translated, 4 were,' 4 con- 
stituted.' 

5 Assez ordinaire, literally, 4 enough common ' ; it means, however, 
c often,' 4 frequently,' as, sa cour etoit le sejour assez ordinaire, ' his 
court was frequently the resort.' 

6 As devoir, in itself, means c ought ' or 4 should,' crut devoir, 
should be translated by, 4 thought he should.' 

7 The student will immediately perceive that, as the genius of the 
English language requires the verb after the nominative, except in im- 
perative or interrogative expressions, the sentence, et il y fut regu 
comme le demandoit la reputation d'un si grand homme, should be 
translated, 4 and he was received in it, as the reputation of so great a 
man required,' 



20 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



fiques, ou l'or et les pierreries brilloient de toutes parts. 
Quelque 1 nouveau que fut ce spectacle pour Solon, on ne 
s'apergut point qu'il en fut emu ; 2 et il ne dit pas la moin- 
dre parole qui sentit 3 la surprise ou l'admiration : mais il 
laissa assez entrevoi? A aux gens de bon sens, qu'il regardoit 
toute cette pompe comme la marque d'un petit esprit, qui 
connoit mal en quoi consiste le 5 beau et le grand. Un 
premier abord si froid et si indifferent ne prevint 6 pas Cresus 
en faveur de son nouvel hote. 

II commanda ensuite qu'on lui montrdt tous ses tresors, 
et qu'on lui fit voir la sumptuosite et la magnificence de 
ses appartemens et de ses meubles, comme pour 7 vaincre, 
par cette multitude de vases precieux, de pierreries, de 
statues, de peintures, rindifference du philosophe. Mais 
tout cela n'etoit point le roi, et c'etoit lui que Solon venoit 
visiter, non les murs, ni les chambres de son palais ; et il 



1 Quelque, used as above, means, e however,' or ' howsoever 5 ; as, 
quelque nouveau que fut ce spectacle pour Solon, 8 however new ' or 
* how new soever this spectacle might be to Solon.' 

2 Etre emu, 6 to be moved ' ; but used as above, ' to be struck by,' 
or < to be astonished at ' ; as, quHl en fut emu, ( that he was astonish- 
ed at it. 7 

3 Sentir, ( to feel ' ; used as above, ' to savour of ; as, qui sentit, 
' which savoured of.' 

4 // laissa assez entrevoir, 6 he let sufficiently perceive ' ; better, 
'but he sufficiently showed.' 

5 Le, when used as above, and before an adjective, means, 1 what 
is,' or ' that which is ' ; as, le beau, et le grand, ( what is good and 
great.' 

6 Prevenir means c to prevent ' ; ne prevint « did not prevent ' ; 
used as above, it should be translated by ( to prepossess ' ; as, ne prevint 
pas Cresus, 4 did not prepossess Cioesus.' 

7 Comme pour, s as for ' ; used as above, e as if.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



21 



croyoit devoir juger 1 de lui et Yestimer, non par tout cet 
appareil exterieur qui lui etoit etranger, 2 mais par lui-meme, 
et par ses qualites personnelles. Ce seroit reduire bien 
des grands a une afTreuse solitude, que 3 d'en user ainsi. 

Quand il eut tout vu, on le ramena. Cresus alors lui 
demanda, qui, dans les differens voyages qu'il avoit faits, 
il avoit trouve qui fut veritablement heureux. " C'est," 
repondit Solon, "un burgeois d'Athenes, norame Tellus, 
fort horn me de bien, 4 qui, apres avoir ete toute sa vie a 
couvert 5 de la necessite, et avoir vu sa patrie toujours flo- 
rissante, a laisse apres lui des enfans generalement estimes 
de tout le monde, a eu la joie de voir les enfans de ses 
enfans, et enfin, est mort glorieusement." 

Une telle reponse, ou Ton comptoit 6 Tor et 1'argent pour 
rien, parut a Cresus d'une grossierete et d'une stupidite 
sans pareille. Cependant, comme il ne desesptroit pas 
avoir au moins le second rang dans la felicite, il lui de- 



1 H croyoit devoir juger, { he thought he ought to judge.' 

2 Etre eir anger, literally, 4 to be foreign'; as, non par tout cet 
appareil exterieur qui lui etoit Stranger, ( not by all that exterior 
pageantry, which did not belong to him.' 

3 In sentences like the above, an additional que de is employed ; as, 
que d'en user ainsi, ( to act in this manner towards them.' 

4 Homme de bien, < an honest ' or < upright man ' ; fort homme de bien 
c a very honest man.' 

5 Etre a couvert, used as above, 1 to be free from,' e not to be ex- 
posed to, not to feel ' ; as, qui, apres avoir ete toute sa vie a couvert 
de la necessite, < who, after having never felt, during all his life, the 
pressure of necessity.' 

6 Compter, < to count,' e to reckon,' e to rely ' ; used as above, < to 
consider'; as, oil Von comptoit V or et V argent pour rien, ' in which 
gold and silver were considered nothing,' or c in which gold and silver 
were set at nought. 5 



22 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



manda, qui, apres Tellus, il avbit vu de plus heureux. 
Solon ripondit que c'etoit Cleobis et Biton d'Argos, deux 
freres qui avoient ete un modele parfait de 1'amitie frater- 
nelle, et du respect qui est du aux parens ; et qui termi- 
nerent leur vie par une mort tranquille. 

H Vous ne me mettez done point du nombre des gens 
heureux 1 " dit Cresus, d'un ton qui marquoit son mecon- 
tentement. Solon, qui ne vouloit ni le flatter, ni Vaigrir 
davantage, lui dit avec douceur : " Roi de Lydie, Dieu nous 
a donne a nous autres 1 Grecs, outre plusieurs autres avan- 
tages, un esprit de moderation et de retenue, qui a forme 
parmi nous une sorte de philosophic simple et populaire, 
accompagnee d'une noble hardiesse sans faste, sans osten- 
tation, peu propre a. 2 la cour des rois : et qui connoissant que 
la vie des hommes est sujette & un nombre infini de vicissi- 
tudes et de changemens, ne nous permet ni de nous glorifter 
des biens dont nous jouissons nous-memes, ni ft admirer 
dans les autres, une felicite qui peut n'etre que 3 passagere, 
et rCavoir rien de reel." 3 A cette occasion 4 il lui represente 
que la vie de l'homme est ordinairement composee de 
soixante et dix annees ; qui font en tout vingt-six mille deux 
cent cinquante jours, dont aucun ne ressemble a Pautre. 5 
" Ainsi l'avenir est pour chaque homme un tissu d'accidens 



1 Autres, used as above, is a redundant expression, and should not 
be translated in English, 

2 Peu propre a, 6 little appropriate for ' ; better, e not calculated for.' 

3 It has already been observed that que, following a negation, should 
be translated ' but ' ; as, une felicite qui peut rfetre que passagere, et 
n 9 avoir rien de reel, e a happiness which could be but transient, and 
have nothing real ' ; better, e a happiness which is necessarily transient, 
and has nothing real.' 

4 A cette occasion, e at this moment.' 

5 Aucun ne ressemble a V autre, * one is unlike the other.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



23 



tous divers, qui ne peuvent etre prevus. Celui-la 1 donc nous 
paroit seul heureux, de qui Dieu a continue la felicite jusqu'au 
dernier moment de sa vie : pour les autres, qui se trouvent 
exposes a mille dangers, leur bonheur nous paroit aussi 
incertain que la couronne pour celui qui combat encore et 
qui n'a pas encore vaincu. J ' Solon se xetira apres ces pa- 
roles, qui nejirent qu' affiiger Cresus, sans le corriger. 

Rollin. 

TENDRESSE FILIALE. 

Pendant une belle soiree, Mirtile etoit alle visiter Petang 
voisin, dont les eaux rejlechissoient Peclat de la lune : le 
calme profond des campagnes eclairees par cette douce lu- 
miere, et les tendres accens du rossignol, Vavoient retenu 
long-temps plonge dans un ravissement tranquille. Mais 
il revint enfin 2 dans le berceau de pampres verds, situe de- 
vant sa cabane solitaire : il trouva son vieux pere qui som- 
meilloit paisiblement 3 au clair de la lune. 4 Le vieillard 
etoit couche sur le gazon ; sa tete grise etoit appuyee 5 sur 



1 Celui-la, celle-la, &c. used as above, e he,' 'she'; as, celui-la, 
done, nous paroit seul heureux, de qui Dieu a continue la felicite, 
6 he alone then appears to us happy, whose felicity God has preserved.' 

2 Enfin, an adverb, meaning, generally, £ in fine,' c ultimately' ; but 
whenever it is used as above, it should be translated by, ' at length,' 
{ at last.' 

3 Qui sommeilloit paisiblement, literally, s who slumbered peace- 
fully ' ; better, c who enjoyed a tranquil slumber.' 

4 Au clair de la lune, literally, e at the clear of the moon ; ' but it 
means, c by moon-light,' and used as above, c beneath the silver moon.' 

5 Appuyer, means, 6 to support,' 6 to bear on,' &c. ; with sur, and 
used as above, means, c to be reclined on,' c to lean against 5 ; as, sa 
tete grise etoit appuyee sur une de ses mains, « his grey head was re- 
clining on one of his hands.' 



24 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCTIVES. 



une da ses mains. Mirtile s'arreta devant lui, les 1 bras 
croises Tun sur Pautre. II garda long-temps cette posture : 
sa vue restoit constamment fixee sur son pere : seulement 2 
il regardoit de temps en temps 3 le ciel et travers 4 le feuil- 
lage ; et des larmes de joie couloient de ses yeux. 

"O toi," dit-i\, 16 toi que $ honor e le plus apres Dieu ! 6 
mon pere, comrae tu reposes doucement ! quele sommeil du 
juste est riant ! tu as sans doute porte tes pas chancelans 
hors de la cabane, pour ceTebrer le soir par de saintes 
prieres. Tu auras aussi prie pour moi, 6 mon pere. Ah 
que je suis heureux ! Le Ciel entend ta pri£re : car autre- 
ment, pourquoi notre cabane seroit-eWe 5 h l'abri de tout 
danger, et ombragee par des rameaux courbes sous le poids 
de leurs fruits 1 Pourquoi la benediction celeste seroit-elie 
sur nos troupeaux, et sur les productions de nos champs 1 
Lorsque satisfait de mes foibles soins pour le repos de ta 
vieillesse cassee, tu verses des larmes de joie ; lorsque tour- 
nant tes regards vers le Ciel, tu me donnes ta benediction 
d'un air 6 content : ah, mon p^re, de quel sentiment je suis 



1 Les. The article, and not the possessive adjective pronoun is 
used in French, when reference is made to a part of the body ; as, les 
bras croises, 6 with his arms crossed.' 

2 The student should he very cautious with regard to the placing of 
the adverbs ; for example, seulement il regardoit, < he only beheld.' 

3 De temps en temps ; < from time to time,' ( now and then.' 

4 A travers, ' across.' 

5 It is a peculiarity of the French language to use a redundant pro- 
noun in putting a question ; as, pourquoi notre cabane seroif-ELLE a 
Vabri de tout danger, ( why should our cabin be (under cover of) free 
from all danger ' ; mon pere est-iL, venu ? literally, 4 my father, has he 
come ? ' that is ; 6 has my father come ? ' 

6 D'un air content, literally, c with a contented air' or c a look of 
content.' 



ANECDOTES INSTRUCT1VES. 



25 



alors penetre ! 1 ma poitrine s'e?ifle, et des larmes pressees 
ruissellcnt de mes yeux. Encore aujourd'hui, quittant mes 
bras pour oiler hors de la cabane te ranimer a la chaleur 
du soleil, et contemplant autour de toi le troupeau bondis- 
sant sur le gazon, les arbres charges de fruits, et la ferti- 
lity repandue sur toute la contree ; 6< Mes cheveux," disois- 
tu, " sont blanchis dans la joie, campagnes cheries, soyez 
benies ajamais ! 2 Mes regards obscurcis n'ont pas encore 
long-temps a vous parcourir. Bientot je vous quitterai 
pour d'autres campagnes plus heureuses." Ah, mon pere, 
mon meilleur ami 5 je dots done bientot te perdre ! O triste 
pensee ! Alors, helas ! i'erigerai un autel et cote de 3 ta 
tombe ; et toutes les fois qu'il me luira un jour propice, ou 
Yaurai \>ufaire du bien a quelque infortune, je repandrai, 
6 mon pere, du lait et des fle'urs sur ton monument. 

II se tut, et rcgarda le vieillard avec des yeux mouilles 
de larmes. 4< Comme il est etendu paisiblement ! 4 comme 
il sourit au milieu 5 de son sommeil ! ah, sans doute," ajouta 
t-il en sanglottant, " ses actions vertueuses, retracees dans 
ses songes, ont fait monter sur son front {'expression de sa 
bienfaisance. Quel doux eclat la lune rep and sur sa tete 
chauve, et sur sa barbe argentine ! Oh, puis sent les vents 
fraisdu soir, puisse la rosee humidejie tefaire aucun mal ! " 



1 De quel sentiment je suis alors penetre, literally, c of what senti- 
ment am I then penetrated ' ; but it should be translated, * what pleasing- 
sensations do I then feel ! ' 

2 A jamais, literally, c to never' ; but it always means, s for ever.' 

3 A cdte de, f along side of,' e by the side of.' 

4 Comme il est etendu paisiblement ! c how tranquilly he lies ' ! 

5 Au milieu, used as above, 6 in the midst.' 

3 



26 



BONS MOTS. 



A ces mots, il lui baise le 1 front, pour Veveiller doucement ; 
et le conduit dans la cabane, pour lui procurer, sur des 
peaux molles, un sommeil plus commode. 

Gessner. 

BONS MOTS. 



L'AVEUGLE ET L'ETOURDI. 
Au milieu d'une nuit fort obscure, un aveugle marchoit 
dans les rues avec une lumiere a la main et une cruche 
pleine sur le dos. Quelqu'un 5 qui couroit, le rencontra, et 
surpris de 3 cette lumiere : " Simple que vous etes," lui dit*i\, 
" k quoi vous sert 4 cette lumiere 1 La nuit et le jour ne 
sont ils pas la meme chose pour vous ? " tc Ce n'est pas pour 
moi," lui repondit Faveugle, " que je porte cette lumiere ; 
c'est afin que les etourdis, qui te ressemblent, ne viennent 
pas heurter contre 5 moi, et me f aire casserla. cruche." 

LE DUG D'ORLEANS ET UN ETRANGER. 

Le Due d'Orleans, Regent pendant la minorite de Louis 
XV., interrogeoit un jour un etranger sur le caractere et 

1 The personal pronoun and the article are, when any part of the 
body is acted upon, used instead of the possessive adjective pronoun ; 
as, il lui baise le front, literally, c he kisses to him the forehead 9 ; that 
is, c he kisses his forehead 5 ; elle se lave les mains, 6 she to her washes 
the hands ' ; that is, < she washes her hands.' 

2 Un and une, are sometimes used to mean c body, 5 e person 5 ; 
(fuelqu'un should therefore be translated by i somebody.' 

3 Surpris de, ( astonished at.' 

4 Servir a, 6 to be of use,' c service,' &c. as, a quoi vous sert cette 
lumiere ? c of what use is that light to you ? ' 

5 Heurter contre, ( to run against.' 



SONS MOTS. 



27 



le genie different des nations de FEurope. " La seule ma- 
niere," lui dit l'6tranger, " de repondre a V. A. R. 1 est de 
Jui repeter les premieres questions que, chez les divers p^u- 
ples, Ton fait le plus communement sur le compte 2 d'un 
homme qui se presente dans le monde. " En Espagne," 
ajouta-t-i\ " on demande : l Est-ce un Grand de la premiere 
classe ? - En Allemagne : 'Peut-il entrer dans les Chapi- 
tres ? ' 3 En France : ' .Es*-il bien & la Cour ? ' En Hol- 
lande : ' Combien a-t-il-d'or ? ' En Angleterre : 'Quel hom- 
me est-ce 

L'AMBASSADEUR DE CHARLES-QUINT. 

Un Ambassadeur de Charles-Quint aupres de Soliman ? 
Empereur des Turcs, venoit d'etre 4 appele a l'audience de 
cet Empereur. Comme il vii, en entrant dans la salle d'au- 
dience, 5 qu'il n'y avoit point de siege pour lui, et que ce 



1 V. A. R., abbreviations of Votre Altesse Roy ale, ' your royal high- 
ness. 9 

2 Sur le compte, literally, ( on the account ' ; used as above, c with 
regard to.' 

3 Chapitre, e chapter ' ; a body or council of canons ; peut-il entrer 
dans les Chapitres, ' is he sufficiently qualified to enter ' or 4 be admitted 
into the chapters ' or 1 the council of canons.' 

4 Venir de, 6 to have just ' ; venoit d'etre appele a V audience, ( he 
had just been called on to attend the council.' 

5 Whenever two substantives are used in English, one to express 
the qualities of the other, in French the order is reversed, and the 
word, a la, a V , aux, de, au, or a, is placed between them. In all 
those cases in which one substantive expresses the nature, cause, matter, 
or quality of the other, de is employed ; as, c en entrant dans la salle 
d'atjdience, ' entering ' or 4 as he entered the council-hall ' ; Gazette 
de Baltimore, ' Baltimore Gazette ' ; du vin d'Espagne, c Spanish 
wine.' If one substantive expresses the form or use of the other, a 
is used ; as, poudre a canon, ' gun-powder ' ; moulin a papier, ( paper- 



28 



NARRATIONS. 



n'etoit point par 1 oubli, mais par orgueil, qu'on le laissoit 
se tenir debout, 2 il 6ta son manteau et s'assit dessus avec 
autant de liberte 3 que si c'etoit un usage etabli depuis long- 
temps, 4 II exposa le sujet de sa commission avec une assu- 
rance et une presence d'esprit qui Soliman lui-meme ne put 
s'empecher 5 d' admirer. Lorsque l'audience fut finie, l'am- 
bassadeur sortit sans prendre son manteau. On crut d'abord 6 
que c'etoit par oubli, et on Pen avertit. II rtpondit avec 
autant de gravite que de douceur : " Les ambassadeurs 
du Roi mon maitre ne sont point dans Pusage 7 de porter 
leur siege avec eux." 



NARRATIONS. 



L'HUMANITE DE FENELON. 
Elle n'est point effacee de notre memoire, cette epoque 



mill.' Au, a la, a V, or aux, is used if one of the substantives de- 
notes any particular use or peculiar quality of the other ; as, le pot 
au lait, 6 the milk-pot' ; une cruche a Veau, c a water-jug' ; la boite 
aa the, ( the tea-cannister ' ; la boite aux aiguilles, c a needle-box.' 

1 Par, denoting, as it does above, the reason for which the action 
was, or was not performed, should be translated, e through ' ; as, et que 
ce n'etoit point par oubli, e and that it was not through forgetfulness.' 

2 Se tenir deb out, ( to stand.' 

3 Liberte, 6 liberty ' ; used as above, 4 freedom,' e ease.' 

4 Depuis long-temps, c for a long time.' 

5 Ne pouvoir s'empecher, 4 not to be able to help ' ; as, ne put s'em- 
ptclier d 'admirer, 6 could not help admiring.' 

6 D'abord, < at first.' 

7 Ne sont point dans Vusage, < are not in the habit' or 6 accus- 
tomed,' 



NARRATIONS. 



29 



desastreuse et terrible, cette annee, 1 la plus funeste des 
dernieres annees de Louis XIV., od il sembloit que le ciel 
voulutfaire expier k la France ses prosperites orgueilleuses, 
et obscurcir Peclat du plus beau regne qui eut encore illus- 
tre 2 ses annales. La terre sterile, sous les flots de sang qui 
Yinondent, devient cruelle et barbare corn me les hommes 
qui la r av ageni \ et Ton Regorge 3 en mourant de faim. 
Les peuples accables a-la-fois 4 par une guerre malheureuse, 
par les imp6ts et par le besoin, sont livres au decourage- 
ment et au desespoir. Le peu de 5 vivres qu'on a pu con- 
server ou recueiller esf porte a un prix qui effraie l'indigence 
et qui pese meme a la richesse. Une armee, alors la seule 
defense de l'Etat, attend en vain sa subsistance des ma- 
gasins qu'un hiver destructeur n'a pas permis de remplir. 
Fenelon donne l'example de la generosite ; il envoie le pre- 
mier toutes les recoltes de ses terres, et l'emulation ga- 



1 An and annee both mean year. They are not, however, used 
indifferently. An is employed whenever we speak of a number of 
years ; as, Louis XIV. regno, pi~es de soixante et dix ans, 4 Louis 
XIV. reigned nearly seventy years ' ; il reviendra dans trois ans, e he 
will return in three years.' Annee is used on every other occasion ; 
as, cette annee, le plus funeste des dernieres annees de Louis XIV., 
* that year, the most dreadful of the years of Lewis XIV. ' ; les annees 
doivent nous rendre plus prudens, { years should make us more pru- 
dent.' 

2 Illustrer, 6 to enlighten ' ; whenever it is used as above, should be 
translated by, c to render illustrious,' or 4 to shed lustre on ' ; as, qui 
tut encore illustre ses annales, < that had yet shed lustre on its annals.' 

3 Se, when employed as above, means, 'each other'; as, et Von 
s'egorge en mourant defaim,, < and persons ' or < men massacre ' or 4 kill 
each other as they are starving.' 

4 A-la-fois, ' at once,' 4 at one time.' 

5 De generally follows an adjective, denoting quantity ; as, le peu 
de vivres, 4 the few provisions,' 4 the small quantitv of provisions,' 

3* 



30 



NARRATIONS. 



gnant de proche en proche, 1 les pays d'alentour 2 font leg? 
m ernes efforts, et Ton devient liberal, me me dans la disette. 
Les maladies, suite inevitable de la misere, desolent bien- 
tot et 3 l'armee et les provinces. L'invasion de l'ennemi 
qjoute encore la terreur et la consternation a tant de fleaux 
accumules. Les campagnes sont desertes, et leurs habitans 
epouvantes fuient dans les villes. Les asyles manqaent a 
la foule des malheureux. Cest alors que Fenelon^ voir 4 
que les coeurs sensibles, a qui Ton reproche d'etendre leurs 
affections sur le genre humain, n'en aimenl pas moins leur 
patrie. Son palais est ouvert aux malades, aux blesses, 
aux pauvres sans exception. II engage ses revenus pour 
faire ouvrir des demeures a ceux qu'il ne sauroit recevoir. 
II leur rend les soins les plus charitables ; il veille sur ceux 5 
qu'on doit leur rendre. II n'est effraye ni de la contagion, 
ni du spectacle de toutes les infirmites humaines rassem- 
blees sous ses yeux. II ne voit en eux que Phumanite 
souffrante. II les assiste, leur pa?*le, les encourage. Oh ! 
comment se defendre 6 de quelque attendrissement, en voyant 



1 De proche en proche, is an adverbial expression, meaning, c one 
after another,' 4 close to one another,' but used as above, ' every 
where ' ; as, V emulation gagnant de proche en proche, literally, ' em- 
ulation gaining from one to another ' ; better, 6 emulation extending 
itself every where.' 

2 D'alentour, ( surrounding.' 

3 Et, which means £ and, ; when used alone, should be rendered by 
4 both,' when repeated in the above manner ; as, et Varmee et les pro- 
vinces, c both the army and the provinces.' 

4 Faire voir, c to show,' c to prove,' 6 to give evidence ' ; as, e'est 
alors que Fenelonfit voir, e it was then that Fenelon showed.' 

5 Ceux refers to soins. 

6 Comment se defendre de quelque attendrissement, en voyant, 
i how to prohibit one's self some tenderness, seeing ' ; but it should be 
translated, < how could we refrain from being affected at the sight of.' 



NARRATIONS. 



31 



cet homme venerable par son age, par son rang, par ses lu- 
mieres, tel qu'un genie bienfaisant, au milieu 1 de tons ces 
malheureux qui le benissent, distribuer les consolations et les 
secours, et donner les plus touchans exemples de ces 
m^mes vertus dont il avoit donne les plus touchantes lecons. 

La Harpe. 

LE CALME AU MILIEU DE L'OCEAN. 

Dix fois le soleil Jit son tour, sans que 2 le vent fut ap- 
paise. II tombe 3 enfin, et bientot apres un calme profond 
lui succede. Les ondes, violemment emues se balancent 
long-temps encore apres que le vent a cesse. Mais insen- 
siblement leurs sillons 4 s' applanisscnt ; et, sur un mer 
immobile, le navire, comme enchaine, cherche inutilement 
dans les airs un souffle qui Yebranle ; la voile, cent fois 
deploy6e, retombe cent fois sur le mat. L'onde, le ciel, 



1 Au milieu, 6 amidst.' 

2 Sans que. It will be observed, that this conditional conjunction 
governs, in French, the subjunctive perfect. Whenever this is the 
case, the English translation cannot be literal. For instance, in trans- 
lating sans que le vent fut appaise, we could not say, € without that the 
wind should be appeased 5 ; but it were necessary to say, 6 but the 
wind did not abate ' or 6 had not abated,' or any other translation which 
will be according to the meaning of the original, and the language in 
which the version is made. 

3 Tombe, which means 4 it falls,' cannot be applied to wind. < To 
subside,' e to cease,' would be the proper words to be used in this in- 
stance ; il tombe enfin, i it subsides at last.' 

4 Leur sillons s'applanissent, £ their furrows ' or e wrinkles smoothed 
themselves.' We think, that instead of translating these words by any 
corresponding phrase, it were better to use the pronoun c they,' refer- 
ring to ondes, < waves,' and translate mais insensiblement leurs sillons 
s'applanissent, by 4 but they imperceptibly become calm.' 



32 



NARRATIONS. 



un horizon vague, ou la vue a beau 1 ^enf oncer dans Pabyme 
de Petendue, un vide profond et sans homes, le silence et 
Fimmensite ; voila ce que presente aux matelots ce triste et 
fatal hemisphere. Consternes et glaces d'effroi, ils deman- 
dent au ciel des orages et des tempeHes ; et le ciel devenu 
d'airain 2 comme la mer, ne leur offre de toutes parts 3 
qu'une affreuse serenite. Les jours, les nuites s' ecoide?it 4 dans 
ce repos funeste : ce soleil, dont Feclat naissant ranime et 
rejouit la terre ; ces etoiles, dont les nochers aiment a voir 
briller les feux etince^ans ; ce liquide cristal des eaux, 
qu'avec tant de plaisir nous contemplons du rivage, lorsqu'il 
reflechit la lumiere et repeie Fazure des cieux, ne forment 
plus qu'un spectacle funeste ; et tout ce qui, dans la nature, 
annonce la paix et la joie, ne porte ici que Fepouvante, et 
ne presage que la mort. 

Cependant les vivres s'epuisent, 5 on les reduit, on les 

1 A beau, literally, * has fair 5 ; but whenever avoir beau is used as 
above, it. signifies, 4 to be in vain,' 4 to strive to no purpose,' &c. ; as, ou 
la vue a beau s'enfoncer dans Vabyme de Vetendue, literally, 4 where 
the sight has fair to pierce into the abyss of expansion' ; it were better, 
6 in which the sight in vain extends itself into space.' 

2 Airain. by itself, means 6 copper,' 4 brass.' Le ciel devenu d'ai- 
rain comme la mer 9 ' the sky having become of a brassy color as well 
as the sea.' 

3 De toutes parts, c on every side.' 

4 S'ecouler, ' to run ' or ' flow out.' S'ecouler, applied to time, 
days, &c. must be translated by, < to elapse,' c pass by,' 4 glide away ' ; 
and used as above, 4 to be passed ; ' as,, les jours et les nuits s'ecoulent 
dans ce repos funeste s 4 every day and every night is passed in this 
dreadful calmness.' 

5 S'epuiser, 4 to exhaust one's self.' Used as above, being applied 
to provisions, should be translated by, 4 to begin to fail,' 4 to begin to 
run out' ; as, les vivres s'epuisent, 4 the provisions begin to fail.' 



NARRATIONS. 



33 



dispense 1 d'une main avare et severe. La nature qui volt 
tarir les sources de la vie, en devient plus avide ; et plus les 
ressources diminuent plus on sent croitre les besoins. A la 
disette enfin succede la famine, fleau terrible sur le vaste 
abyme des eaux : car au moins sur la terre quelque lueur 
d'esperance pent abuser 2 la douleur et soutenir le courage ; 
mais au milieu d'une mer immense, solitaire, et environee 
du neant, l'homme, dans l'abandon de toute la nature, n'« 
pas m&me l'illusion pour le sauver du desespoir : il voit 
comme un abyme 1'espace epouvantable qui Yeloigne de 
tout secours ; sa pensee et ses vceux s'y perdent, la voix 
me me de l'esperance ne pent arriver jusqu'a lui. 

Les premiers acces de la faim se font sentir^ sur le vais- 
seau : cruelle alternative de douleur et de rage ; ou l'on 
voyoit des malheureux 4 etendus sur les bancs, lever les 
mains vers le ciel avec des plaintes lamentables, ou courir 
eperdus et furieux de la proue a la poupe, et demander au 
moins que la mort vint 5 finir leur maux. 

Marmontel. 



1 Dispenser, ' to dispense 5 ; used as above, 6 to distribute 9 ; as, on 
lesdispense, ' they distribute them.' 

2 Abuser, 1 to abuse ' ; used as above, 6 to alleviate,' c mitigate, 5 
'soothe ' ; as, quelque lueur d'esperance peut abuser la douleur, ( some 
ray of hope may soothe our griefs. 5 

3 Sefaire sentir, ( to make one's self feel, 5 c to show what one is. 5 
Used as above, 'to be felt 5 ; as, les premiers acces de faim se font 
sentir, ' the first pains of famine are felt. 5 

4 The suppression of substantives in French, is more common than 
in English. Malheureux, for instance, agrees with a substantive un- 
derstood in French, which in English must be expressed ; as, oil Von 
voyoit des malheureux etendus sur les bancs, ' in which some unhap- 
py mortals were seen lying on the benches. 5 

5 Very frequently the French subjunctive preterite requires the Eng- 
lish imperfect ; as, a, demander au moins que la mort vint, 6 to ask 
that death at least should come. 5 



34 



NARRATIONS'. 



L'ECLIPSE DE SOLEIL AU PEROU.l 

L'astre adore dans ces climats, s'obscurcit tout-at-coup 2 au 
mi!ieu d'un ciel sans nuage. Une nuit soudaine et profonde 
investit la terre. L'ombre ne venoit point de POrient ; elle 
tomba du haut des cieux, et enveloppa Phorizon. Un froid 
humide a saisi Patmosphere : les animaux, subitement prives 
de la chaleur qui les anime, de la lumiere qui les conduit 
dans une immobilite morne, semblent se demancler la cause 
de cette nuit inopinee. Leur instinct, qui compters heures, 
leur dit que ce n'est pas encore ceile de leur repos. Dans 
les bois ils s'appellent d'une voix fremissante, etonnes de 
ne pas se voir : dans les valions, ils se rassemblent et se 
pressent en frisonnant. Les oiseaux, qui, sur la foi 3 du 
jour, out pris leur essor dans les airs, surpris par les tene- 
bres ne savent ou voler. La tourterelle se precipite au- 
devant du vautour, qui s'epouvante k sa rencontre. Tout 
ce qui respire est saisi d'effroi. Les veg6taux eux-memes 
se ressentent de cette crise universelle. On diroit que Pame 
du monde va sa dissiper ou ^eteindre; et dans ses rameaux 
infinis, le fleuve immense de la vie semble avoir ralenti son 
cours. 

Et l'homme ! . . . ah ! c'est pour lui que la reflexion ajonte 
aux frayeurs de Pinstinct le trouble et les perplexites d'une 
prevoyance impuissante. Aveugle et curieux ; il se fait 



1 Proper names of countries, rivers, winds, and seasons, frequently 
take the article ; as, au Perou, < at the Peru,' that is, £ in Peru.' 

2 Tout-a-coup, literally, 6 all-at-blow ' ; it means, c all at once,' ( of 
a sudden/ 6 suddenly.' 

3 Sur la foi, literally, c on the faith ' ; but it should be translated by, 
c trusting,' ' relying on 5 ; as, les oiseaux qui, sur la foi du jour, i the 
birds that, relying on the day. ? 



NARRATIONS. 



35 



des fantomes de tout ce qu'il ne conqoit pas, et se remplit 
de noirs presages, aimant mieux craindre qu'ignorer. Heu- 
reux, dans ce moment, les peuples ei qui des sages ont re- 
vele les mysteres de la nature ! lis ont vu sans inquietude 
Fastre du jour, k son midi, derober sa lumiere au monde : sans 
inquietude ils attendent 1'instant marque ou le globe sortira 
de Tobscurite. Mais comment exprimer la terreur, Pepou- 
vante dont ce phenomene a frappe les adorateurs du soleil ? 
Dans une pleine serenite, au moment ou leur Dieu, dans 
toute sa splendeur, s'eleve au plus haut de sa sphere, il 
^evanouit : et la cause de ce prodige, et sa duree, ils 
Yignorent profon dement. La ville de Quito, la ville du So- 
leil, Cusco, les Camps des deux Incas, tout gemit, tout est 
consterne. 

Marmontel. 

L'AMERIQUE SEPTENTRIONALE. 

Les moeurs sont ce qu'elles doivent etre chez un peuple 
nouveau, chez un peuple cultivateur, chez un peuple qui 
n'est ni poli, ni corrompu par le sejour des grandes cites. 
II regne generalement de 1'economie, de la proprete, du 
bon ordre dans les families. La galanterie et le jeu, ces 
passions de l'opulence oisive, alterent rarement cette heu- 
reuse tranquillite. Les femmes sont encore ce qu'elles 
doivent etre, douces, modestes, compatissantes et secoura- 
bles, elles ont ces vertus qui perpetuent l'empire de leurs 
charmes. Les hommes sont occupes de leurs premiers de- 
voirs, du soin et du progres de leurs plantations qui seront 
le soutien de leur posterite. Un sentiment de bienveil- 
lance unit toutes les families. Rien ne contribue h cette 



36 



NARRATIONS. 



union, comme une certaine egalite d'aisance, 1 comme la 
securite qui nait de la propriete, comme l'esperance et la 
facilite communes ft augment er ces possessions, comme 
Pindependance reciproque ou tous les hommes sont pour 
leurs besoins, jointe au besoin mutuel de societ6 pour leurs 
plaisirs. A 2 la place du luxe qui trame la misere & sa 
suite, 3 au lieu de ce contraste affligearrt et hideux, un bien- 
£tre 4 universel, reparti sagement par la premiere distribu- 
tion des terres, par le cours de 5 Tindustrie, a mis dans 
tous les cceurs le desir 6 de se plaire 1 mutuellement, desir 
plus satisfaisant, sans doute, que la secrete envie de nuire, 8 
qui est inseparable d'une extreme inegalite dans les for- 
tunes et les conditions. On ne 9 se voit 10 jamais sans plaisir, 

1 Aisance, c ease,' e freedom'; used as above, 4 fortune ' ; as, rien 
ne contribue a cette union, comme une certaine egalite d' aisance, 
4 nothing contributes so much to this union, as a certain equality of 
fortune.' 

2 A la place du luxe qui traine la misere a sa suite ; this is a very 
idiomatic sentence ; for, if translated literally, it would run thus, 4 to the 
place of luxury, which draws misery to her retinue ; ' whereas it should 
be translated, 4 instead of luxury, the concomitant of which is misery.' 

3 Sa suite, literally, 4 the train.' It is generally employed to express 
something which comes after ; as, il marche a sa suite, 4 he goes after 
him.' 

4 Bien-etre, 'well-being,' 4 welfare ' ; used as above, 4 competency.' 

5 Par le cours de, literally, 4 by the course of; used as above, 
4 continued.' 

6 A mis dans tous les cozurs le desir, literally, 4 has placed in all 
hearts the desire ' ; but it should be translated, 4 has excited in every 
heart.' 

7 Se, used as above, means, 4 each other.' Mutuellement, is there- 
fore redundant, and, in this sentence, is not to be translated. 

8 JYuire, 4 to do harm,' 4 to injure others.' 

9 Two negatives are used in French, to strengthen a negation. 

10 Se voir, literally, 4 to see one's self ; used as above, 4 not to be ' ; 
as, on ne se voit jamais, e we never are.' 



NARRATIONS. 



37 



quand on xYest ni dans un etat d'eloignement reciproque 
qui conduit a l'indifference, ni dans un etat de rivalite qui 
est pres de la haine. On se rapproche, on se rassemble ; on 
mine enfin dans les colonies cette vie champetre, qui fut 
la premiere destination de I'homme, la plus convenable a 
la fecondite. 

Raynal. 

«• 

COMBAT ET TRIOMPHE DE DUGUAY-TROUIN. 

Duguay-Trouin s'avance ; la victoire le suit. La ruse et 
Paudace, l'impetuosite de l'attaque et Phabilete de la ma- 
noeuvre, Yont rendu maitre du vaisseau commandant. Ce- 
pendant Ton combat de tous cotes; sur une vaste etendue 
de mer regne le carnage. On se mile : les proues heurtent 
contre 1 les proues ; les manoeuvres sont entrelacees dans 
les manoeuvres. Les foudres se clioquent et retentissent. 
Duguay-Trouin observe d'un ceil tranquille la face du com- 
bat, pour porter des secours, reparer des defaits, ou achever 
des victoires. II apercoit un vaisseau armede cent canons, 
defendu par une armee entiere. C'cst la qu'il porte ses 
coups ; Wprefere a un triomphe facile l'honneur d'un com- 
bat dangereux. Deux fois il ose Yaborcler, deux fois 1'in- 
cendie qui smalltime dans le vaisseau ennemi Yoblige de 
s'ecarter. Le Devonshire, semblable a un volcan allume, 
tandis qu'il est consume au dedans, 2 vomit 3 au dehors 4 des 
feux encore plus terribles. Les Anglois, d'une main 5 lanceni 

1 Heurtent contre, 6 dash against.' 

2 Au dedans, c within, 5 e in the inside.' 

3 Vomit, e vomits ' ; used as above, ' discharges,' « sends forth,' or 
'emits.' 

4 Au dehors, ' on the outside,' or e without.-' 

5 D'une main, ' with one hand.' 

4 



38 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



des flammes, de 1'autre ils tachent fteteindre, celles qui 
les environnent. Duguay-Trouin rieut desire les vaincre 
que pour les sauver. Ce fut un horrible spectacle pour un 
coeur tel que le sien, de voir ce vaisseau immense brule en 
pleine mer, la lueur de Pembrasement reflechie au loin 1 sur 
les flots, tant d'infortunes errans et furieux, ou palpitans 
immobiles au milieu des flammes, s'embrassant les uns les 
autres, ou se dechirant eux-memes ; levant vers le ciel des 
bras consumes ou precipitant leurs corps fumans dans la 
mer ; ft entendre le bruit de l'incendie, les hurlemens des 
mourans, les voeux de la religion meles aux 2 cris du deses- 
poir et aux imprecations de la rage, jusqu'au moment ter- 
rible ou le vaisseau s'enfonce, Fabyme se referme et tout 
disparoit. Puisse le genie de l'humanite mettre souvent de 
pareils tableaux devant les yeux des rois qui ordonnent les 
guerres ! Cependant Duguay-Trouin poursuit la flotte epou- 
vantee. Tout fuit, tout se disperse. La mer est couverte 
de debris ; nos ports se remplissent de depouilles ; et tel fut 
Fevenement de ce combat, qu'aucun des vaisseaux qui por- 
toient du secours nepassa chez les ennemis. 

Thomas. 

DESCRIPTIONS. 



LE LEVER DU SOLEIL. 

On le voit Cannoneer de loin par les traits de feu qu'il 
lance 3 au-devant de lui. L'incendie augmente, Forient pa- 

1 Au loin, literally, i to the far ' ; but it means * at a distance.' 

2 Meles aux, e mixed with. 5 

3 Lancer, 6 to throw ' ; used as above, c to send forth' ; as, les traits 
defeu quHl lance, ( the rays of light he sends forth.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



39 



roixt tout en flammes : a leur eclat on attend l'astre long- 
temps avant qu'il se montre ; a chaque instant on croit le 
voir paroitre, on le volt enfin. Un point brillant part 1 
comme un eclair, et remplit aussitot tout l'espace : le voile 
des tenebres efface et tombe : rhomme reconnoit son sejour 
et le trouve embelli. La verdure a pris, durant la nuit, 
une vigueur nouvelle ; le jour naissant qui Veclaire, les pre- 
miers rayons qui la dorent, la montrent couverte d'un 
brillant reseau de rosee, qui reflichit a 1'oeil la lumiere et les 
couleurs. Les oiseaux, en chceur, se reunissent et salaent, 
de concert 2 le pere de la vie ; en ce moment pas un seul 3 
ne se tait. Leur gazouillement, foible encore, est plus 
lent et plus doux que dans le reste de la journee : il se 
sent de 4 la langueur d'un paisible reveil. Le concours 5 de 
tous ces objets porte aux sens une impression de fraicheur 
qui semble penetrer jusqu'a Tame. 6 II y a la une demi- 
heure d'enchantement, auquel nul horn me ne resiste : un 
spectacle si grand, si beau, si delicieux, n'en laisse aucun 
de sang-froid. 7 

J. J. Kousseau. 



1 Part, literally, 6 departs ' ; used as above, 6 is discharged. 5 

2 De concert, £ in concert.' 

3 Pas un seul, literally, 6 not one alone ' ; when used as above, 
means, c not even one.' 

4 Se sentir de, < to feel itself of ; used as above, 'to partake of ; 
as, il se sent de la langueur d'un paisible reveil, 4 it yet partakes of 
the languor of a tranquil waking.' 

5 Le concours, 6 the concurrence ' ; better, < the combination.' 

6 Qui semble penetrer jusqu' a Vdme, ( which appears to penetrate 
to the soul.' 

7 Sang-froid, e cold blood ' ; used as above, 6 indifference ' ; as, n'en 
laisse aucun de sangfroid, 6 does not leave any body indifferent.' 



40 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



LE PRINTEMPS DE LA GRECE. 

Dans 1'heureux climat que $ halite, le printemps est 
comme 1'aurore d'un beau jour : on yjouit des biens qu'il 
'amine, et de ceux qu'il promet. Les feux du soleil ne sont 
plus obscurcis par des vapeurs grossieres ; ilsne sont pas en- 
core irrites par l'aspect ardent de la canicule : c'est une lu- 
miere, pure, inalterable, qui se repose doucement sur tous les 
objets ; c'est la lumiere dont les Dieux sont couronnes dans 
l'Olympe. 

Quand elle se montre k l'horizon, les arbres agitent leurs 
feuilles naissantes ; les bords de Pllissus retentissent du 
chant des oiseaux, et les echos du mont Hymette, du son 
des chalumeaux rustiques. Quand elle est pres de ^eteindre, 
le ciel se couvre de voiles etincelans, et les nymphes de 
l'Attique vont } d'un pas timide, 1 essayer sur le gazon des 
danses legeres : mais bientot elle se hate d'eclorre, 2 et alors 
on ne regrette ni la fraicheur de la nuit qu'on vient de perdre, 
ni la splendeur du jour qui Vavoit precedee ; il semble qu'un 
nouveau soleil se leve sur un nouvel univers, et qu'il ap- 
porte de l'Orient des couleurs inconnues aux mortels. 
Chaque instant ajoute un nouveau trait aux beautes de la 
nature ; a chaque instant, le grand ouvrage du developpe- 
ment des etres avance vers sa perfection. O jours brillans ! 
6 nuits delicieuses ! quelle emotion excitoit dans mon ame 
cette suite de tableaux 3 que vous offriez a tous mes sens ! 

1 jyun pas timide, c with timid steps.' 

2 Eclorre, * to bud,' 'shoot'; used as above, 'to rise again,' 'to 
i eappear ' ; as, elle se hate d'eclorre, c it hastens to rise again.' 

3 Quelle emotion excitoit dans mon ame cette suite de tableaux, 
iterally, e what emotions that series of pictures excited in my soul. 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



41 



O dieu des plaisirs, 6 printemps ! je vous ai vu cette annee 
dans toute votre gloire ; vous jparcouriez en vainqueur 1 les 
campagnes de la Grece, et vous detacliicz de votre tete les 
fleurs qui devoient les embellir ; vous paroissiez sur les mon- 
.tagnes: le serpolet et le thym exhaloient mille par f urns ; 
vous vous eleviez dans les airs, et vous y repandiez la sere- 
nite de vos regards. Tout renaissoit pour s'embellir ; tout 
s'embellissoit pour plaire. Tel parut le monde au sortir* 
du chaos, dans ces momens fortunes ou l'homme, ebloui du 
sejour qu'il habitoit, surpris et satisfait de son existence, 
sembloit n' avoir un esprit que pour connoitre le bonheur, 
un coeur que pour le d'esirer, une ame que pour le sentir. 

Barthelemy. 

LES DESERTS DE L'ARABIE PETREE. 

Qu'on se figure un pays sans verdure et sans eau, un 
soleil brulant, un ciel toujours sec, des plaines sablonneuses, 
des montagnes encore plus arides, sur lesquelles l'oeil 
defend et le regard se perdfi sans pouvoir ^arreter sur 
aucun objetvivant; une terre morte, et. pour ainsi dire, 4 



1 En vainqueur, literally, e in conqueror ' ; but it should be trans- 
lated, e like a conqueror.' 

2 Au sortir, an adverbial expression. Au, when placed before an 
infinitive, and used as above, should be translated by the English prepo- 
sition on, or the adverb when, with the imperfect ; as, tel parut le 
monde au sortir du chaos, 6 such appeared the world on coming out 
of chaos,' or e when it came into existence.' 

3 Uxil s'etend et le regard se perd, literally, e the eyes are extend- 
ed, and the look is lost ' ; much better, c we may extend our sight,' or 
« carry our attention to the farthest extremity.' 

4 Pour ainsi dire, literally, < to say thus ' ; but its corresponding 
English phrase is, ' as it were.' 



4* 



42 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



ecorchee par les vents, laquelle ne presente que des osse- 
mens, des cailloux jonches, des rochers debout ou renver- 
ses, 1 un desert entierement decouvert, ou voyageur n'a 
jamais respire sous l'ombrage, ou rien ne X accompagne, 
rien ne lui rappelle la nature vivante : solitude absolue, rnille 
fois plus afTreuse que celle des for6ts ; car les arbres sont 
encore des etres pour Fhomme qui se voit seul plus isole, 
plus denue, plus perdu dans ces lieux vides et sans bornes ; 
il voit par-tout 1'espace comme son tombeau ; la lumiere 
du jour, plus triste que l'ombre de la nuit, ne renait que 
pour eclairer sa nudite, son impuissance, et pour lui pre- 
senter Phorreur de sa situation, en reculant h ses yeux les 
barrieres du vide, 2 en etendant autour de lui Tabyme de 
Pimmensite qui le s'epare de la terre habitee ; immensite 
qu'il tenteroit en vain de parcourir, car la faim, la soif et la 
chaleur brulante, pressent tous les instans qui lui restent 
entre le desespoir et la mort. 

Buffon, 

LA CATARACTE DU NIAGARA. 

La Cataracte du Niagara est formee par la riviere Nia- 
gara, qui sort du Lac Erie et se jette dans Lac Ontario ; 
sa hauteur perpendiculaire est de cent quarante quatre 
pieds : depuis le Lac Erie jusqu'au saut, le fleuve arrive 
toujours en declinant par une pente rapide ; et au moment 
de la chute, cSest moins un fleuve qu'une mer, dont les 



1 Des rochers debout ou renverses, e either steep or overthrown 
rocks.' 

2 En reculant a ses yeux les barrieres du vide, e in pulling back,' 
better, ' in withdrawing from his eyes the barriers of space.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



43 



torrens se pressent a la bouche beante d'un gouffre. 1 La 
cataracte se divise en deux branches, et se courbe en fer a 
cheval. 2 Entre les deux chutes, Advance une tie, creusee 
en dessous, 3 qui pend, avec tous ses arbres, sur le chaos 
des ondes. La masse du fleuve, qui se precipite au midi, 
sarrondit en un vaste cylindre, puis se deroule en nappe 
de neige, 4 et brillc au soleil de toutes les couleurs : 5 celle 
qui tombe au levant, descend dans un ombre effrayante ; 
on diroit une colonne d'eau 6 du deluge. Mille arcs-en- 
ciel 7 se courbent et se croisent sur l'abyme. Uon&e, f rap- 
pant le roc ebranle, rejaillit en tourbillons d'ecume qui 
^eltvent au dessus des forets, comme les fumees d'un vaste 
embrasement. Des pins, des noyers sauvages, des rochers 
tailles en forme de fantomes, decorent la scene. Des aigles, 
entraines par le courant d'air, descendent en tournoyant au 
fond du goufTre, et des carcajoux se suspendent par leurs 
longues queues au bout d'une branche abaissee pour saisir 
dans Tabyme les cadavres brises des elans et des ours. 

Chateaubriand. 



1 Dont les torrens se pressent a la bouche beante d'un gouffre, 1 the 
torrents of which rush to the gaping ' or ' wide mouth of a gulph.' 

2 Et se courbe en fer a cheval, ( and bends in a horse shoe ' ; better, 
4 and bends in like a horse shoe.' 

3 Creusee en dessous, ( excavated underneath. 5 

4 Puis se deroule en nappe de neige, ' then it spreads out like a 
sheet of snow.' 

5 Et brille au soleil de toutes les couleurs, literally, c and it shines 
to the sun of all colours ' ; but it should be translated, e and when the 
sun shines, it sparkles with every colour.' 

6 Une colonne d'eau, c a column of water.' 

7 Arc-en-ciel, ' rainbow.' 



44 



DESCRIPTIONS. 

D : "' v 



LE CHEVAL. 

La plus noble conquete que l'homme ait jamais faite, est 
celle de ce tier et fougueux animal qui partage avec lui les 
fatigues de la guerre et la gloire des combats. Aussi intre- 
pide que son maitre le cheval volt le peril et Vaffronte ; il 
se fait 1 au bruit des armes, il Yaime, il le cherche, et s'aw- 
fme 2 de la me me ardeur : il part age aussi ses plaisirs ; a la 
chasse, aux tournois, a la course, il brille, il etincelle ; mais 
docile autant que courageux, il ne se laisse point emporter 
a son feu, il sait reprimer ses mouvemens ; non-seulement 
il fleeliit sous la main de celui qui le guide, mais il semble 
consulter ses desirs, et, obeissant toujours aux impressions 
qu'il recoit, il se precipite, se modtre ou ^arretc, et n'agit 
que pour y satisfaire. C'est une creature qui renonce a son 
etre pour n'exister que par la volonte d'un autre, qui sait 
meme la prevenir, qui par la promptitude et la precision 
de ses mouvemens, Vexprime et Yextcute ; qui seul autant 
qu'on le desire, et ne rend qu'autant qu'on vent, qui, se 
livrant sans reserve, ne se refuse h rien, sert de toutes ses 
forces, s'excede et meme meurt pour mieux obeir. 

Buffon. 



1 Se faire, means, in its literal sense, 1 to make one's self ; but 
whenever it is used as above, it should be translated by 1 to inure, 

i accustom,' or 1 habituate one's self ; as, il se fait au bruit des armes 
* he accustoms himself to the noise of arms.' 

2 Reflective verbs are frequently translated in English by i to be 
come,' and the participle of the verb ; as, s'animer, 1 to become ani 
mated ' ; se pervertir, 1 to become perverted ' ; example, et s'animer 
de la mSme ardeur, i and to become animated with the same ardour.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



45 



LE LION ET LE TIGRE. 

Dans la classe des animaux carnassiers 1 le lion est le 
premier, le tigre est le second ; et comme le premier, 
m6me dans un mauvais genre, est toujours le plus grand et 
souvent le meilleur, le second est ordinairement le plus 
mechant de tous. A la fierte, au courage, a la force, le 
lion joint la noblesse, la clemence, la magnanimite, tandis 
que 2 le tigre est bassement feroce, cruel sans justice, d'est 
a dire 3 sans necessite. II en est de me me dans tout ordre 4 
de choses ou les rangs sont donnes par la force ; le premier, 
qui peut tout, est moins tyran que l'autre, qui ne pouvant 
jouir de la puissance pleniere, s'en venge en abusant du 
pouvoir qu'il a pu s'arroger. Aussi le tigre est plus a 5 
craindre que le lion : celui-ci souvent oublie qu'il est le roi, 
dest-k-dire, le plus fort de tous les animaux ; marchant d'un 
pas tranquille, il n'attaque jamais l'homme, a moins qu'il 6 
ne 7 soit provoque ; il ne precipite ses pas, il ne court, il ne 
chasse que quand la faim lepresse. Le tigre, au contraire a 
quoique rassasie de chair, semble toujours etre altere 8 de 



1 Animaux carnassiers, ' carnivorous animals/ 

2 Tandis que, 1 whereas,' ' but,' * when.' 

3 C" est- a- dire, 1 that is to say.' 

4 II en de meme dans tout ordre, e it is the same in regard to every 
order.' 

5 The preposition a, used as above before an infinitive, requires a 
passive verb in English ; a craindre, i to be feared ' ; a esperer, i to be 
hoped ' ; example, aussi le tigre est plus a craindre, ( thus the tiger is 
more to be feared.' 

6 A moins que, 1 unless.' 

7 When a moins que is translated by 4 unless,' the ne is not trans- 
lated in English. 

8 Altere s ' thirsty ' ; altere de sang, ' blood-thirsty.' 



46 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



sang ; sa fureur n'« d'autres intervalles que ceux du temps 
qu'il faut pour dresser des embuches ; il saisit et dechire 
une nouvelle proie avec la meme rage qu'il vient d'ezercer, 
et non pas d'assouvir, en devorant la premiere ; il disole le 
pays qu'il habite ; il ne craint hi V aspect, ni les armes de 
Phomme ; il 'egorge, il devaste les troupeaux d'animaux do- 
mestiques ; met a mort toutes les betes sauvages, attaque 
les petits elephans, les jeunes rhinoceros, et quelquefois 
meme ose braver le lion. 

La forme du corps est ordinairement d'accord 1 avec le 
naturel. Le lion a l'air noble : la hauteur de ses jambes 
est proportionnee a la longueur de son corps, l'epaisse et 
grande criniere qui couvre ses epaules et ombrage sa face, 
son regard assure, sa demarche grave, tout semble annoncer 
sa fiere et majestueuse intrepidite. Le tigre, trop long de 2 
corps, trop bas sur ses jambes, la tete nue, les yeux ha- 
gards, la langue couleur de sang, 3 toujours hors de la gueule, 
n'a que les caracteres de la basse mechancete et de l'insa- 
tiable cruaute ; il n'« pour tout instinct qu'une rage con- 
stante, une fureur aveugle ; qui ne connoit, qui ne distingue 
rien, et qui lui fait souvent devorer ses propres enfans, et 
dechirer leur me" re, lorsqu' elle veut les defendre. Que ne 
V-eut-i\ a 1'exces cette soif de son sang ! 4 Ne put-il Y'etein- 



1 Est ordinairement d'accord, « generally agrees.' 

2 De, thus used, is translated, ' in * ; as, trop long de corjps y 1 too 
long in the body.' 

3 Couleur de sang, 6 blood-colored.' 

4 Que ne Vetit-il a Vexces cette soif de son sang ! Whenever que 
is at the beginning of sentences like this, it is expressive of wish or 
desire. The above sentence should be rendered by, 1 may he have ' or 
' O that he had to excess this thirst after his own blood ! ' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



47 



dre qu'en detruisant} des leur naissance, la race entiere 
des monstres qu'il produit. 

Buffon. 

LE DRAGON. 

A ce nom de dragon, l'on concoit toujours une idee ex- 
traordinaire. La memoire rappelle, avec promptitude, tout 
ce qu'on a lu, tout ce qu'on a oui-dird* sur ce monstre 
fameux ; Pimagination s'enflamme par le souvenir des grandes 
images qu'il a presentees au genie poetique : une sorte de 
frayeur saisit les cceurs timides ; et la curiosite s'empare 
de tous les esprits. Les anciens, les modernes, ont tous 
parle du dragon. Consacre 3 par la religion des premiers 
peuples ; devenu l'objet de leur mythologie, ministre des 



1 Ne put-il Veteindre qu'en detruisant. This sentence is like the 
above, and should be rendered by, 1 may he ' or ' that he were only 
able to extinguish it in destroying.' 

2 Ou'i dire, 1 to hear say ' ; as, tout ce qu'on a oui-dire } ( every thing 
we have heard said.' 

3 This phraseology is very beautiful, and very common in the French 
language. It sometimes happens that it will not bear an English literal 
translation, as the participles past require sometimes either 1 having ' 
or 4 being ' ; and the genius of the English language will not always 
permit the commencing of the member of a sentence by a participle 
past, then by a present, &c. In such cases the student should give the 
phrase a different turn. Instead of beginning the above sentence by 
c consecrated by the religisn of the first nations ; become the object,' &c, 
we might say, 1 he has been consecrated by the religion of the first na- 
tions; he has become the object of their mythology, the minister of the 
will of the gods,' &c. ; and then end by, e he has therefore been sung by 
the first poets,' &c. By this means, we avoid the necessity of com- 
mencing in a different manner the beginning of every member of the 
sentence. 



48 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



volontes des Dieux, gardien de leur tresor ; servant leur 
amour et leur haine ; soumis au pouvoir des enchanteurs ; 
vaincu par les demi-dieux du temps antique, entrant meme 
dans les allegories sacrees du plus saint des recueils, il a 
ete chante par les premiers poetes, et represented avec toutes 
les couleurs qui pouvoient en embellir Pimage : principal 
ornement des fables pieuses imaginees dans des temps plus 
recens ; dompte par les heros, et meme par les jeunes he- 
roines qui combattoient pour une loi divine ; adopte par une 
seconde mythologie, qui placa les fees sur le trone des an- 
ciennes enchanteresses ; devenu Pembl'&me des actions 
eclatantes des vaillans chevaliers, il a vivifie la poesie mo- 
derne, ainsi qu'il avoit anime l'ancienne : proclame par la 
voix severe de Phistoire, par-tout decrit, par-tout celebre, 
par-tout redoute, montre sous toutes les formes, toujours 
rev&tu de la plus grande puissance, immolant ses victimes 
par son regard, se transport ant au milieu des nuees avec la 
rapidite de 1' eclair, frappant com me la foudre, dissipant 
Pobscurite des nuits par J'eclat de ses yeux etincelans, 
riunissant Pagilite de l'aigle, la force du lion, la grandeur 
du serpent, presentant mehrie quelquefois une figure hu- 
maine, doue d'une intelligence presque divine, et adore de 
nos jours dans de grands empires de l'Orient ; le dragon a 
ete tout, et s'est trouve par-tout, hors dans la nature. 1 II 
vivra cependant toujours, cet etre fabuleux, dans les heu- 
reux produits d'une imagination feconde. II embellira long- 
temps les images hardies d'une poesie enchanteresse ; le 
recit de sa puissance merveilleuse charmera les loisirs de 
ceux qui ont besoin d'etre quelquefois transporters au mi- 
lieu des chimeres, et qui desirent de voir la verite paree 



1 Hors dans la nature, 1 except in nature. 5 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



49 



des ornemens d'une fiction agreable ; mais & la place 1 de cet 
etre fantastique, que trouvons-nous dans la realite? un ani- 
mal aussi petit que foible, un lezard innocent et tranquille, 
un des moins armes de tous les quadrupedes ovipares, et 
qui, par une conformation particuliere, a la facilite de se 
transporter avec agilite, et de voltiger de branche en 
branche, dans les for6ts qu'il hahite. Les especes d'ailes 
dont il a ete pourvu, son corps de lezard, et tous ses rap- 
ports avec les serpens, ont fait trouver quelque sorte de 
ressemblance eloignee entre ce petit animal et le monstre 
imaginaire dont nous avons parle, et lui ont fait donner le 
nom de dragon par les naturalistes. 

Lacepede. 

LES PLAISIRS DE LA VIE CHAMPETRE.2 

Euthymene 3 nous pai-loit avec plaisir des travaux de la 
campagne, avec transport des agremens de la vie champ- 
atre. 

Un soir, assis a table devant sa maison, sous de superbes 
platanes 4 qui se courboient au dessus de nos t£tes, il nous 
disoit : " Quand je me promene dans raon champ, tout rit 9 
tout s'embellit h mes yeux. Ces moissons, ces plantes, 
n 5 existent que 5 pour moi, ou plutot que pour les malheureux 



1 A la place 7 ' instead,' 'in place.' 

2 The pleasures of a country life. 

3 Euthymene, a character in the works of Barthelemy, in the 
Voyage oVAnacharsis. 

4 Platanes, qui se courboient, 1 plane-trees that hung.' 

5 It has been already said, and we repeat it now, that a que, after a 
negation in the middle of a sentence, means, c but,' € except,' or { only ' ; 
as, n 9 existent que pour moi, 6 they only exist for me.' 

5 



50 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



dont je vais soulager les besoins. Quelquefois je me fats 
des illusions pour accroitre mes jouissances. II me semble 
alors que la terre porte son attention 1 jusqu'a- la delicatesse, 
et que les fruits sont annonces par les fleurs, comme parmi 
nous les bienfaits doivent Vetre* par les graces. 3 

Une emulation sans rivalite forme les liens 4 qui m'wms- 
sent avec mes voisins. lis viennent souvent se ranger au- 
to ur de cette table, qui ne fut jamais entouree que de mes 
amis. La confiance et la franchise regnent dans nos entre- 
tiens. 5 Nous nous communiquons nos decouvertes ; car, 
bien dirTerens des autres artistes qui out des secrets, cha- 
cun de nous 6 est aussi jaloux de tfinstruire que d'instruire 
les autres." 

S'adressant ensuite 7 k quelques habitans d'Athenes qui 
venoient d'arriver, il ajoutoit : " Vous croyez etre libres 
dans l'enceinte de vos murs ; 8 mais cette independance que 
les lois vous accordent, la tyrannie de la societe vous la 
ravit sans pitie : des charges a briguer? et a remplir ; des 



1 Porte son attention jusqu'a, literally, c carries its attention as far 
as ' ; much better, e does not neglect even' or 6 is mindful even.' 

2 Le, when before a verb, and used as above, must either be trans- 
lated by c so,' or not translated at all. 

3 Les graces, is used to signify, 6 the fair sex ' ; as, les bienfaits 
doivent Vttre par les graces, * benefits should be by the fair sex. 

4 Forme les liens, 1 constitutes the ties.' 

5 La confiance et la franchise r&gnent dans nos entretiens, ' confi- 
dence and fiankness prevail in our intercourse.' 

6 Chacun de nous, 6 every one of us.' 

"7 Ensuite, 1 immediately after,' 1 afterwards.' 

8 Dans V enceinte de vos murs, i within the circuit of your walls.' 

9 Whenever the preposition d is used before an infinitive as above, it 
should be translated by i to be,' and the participle of the principal 
verb ; thus, des charges a briguer, \ posts to be solicited.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



51 



hommes puissans a menager ; des noirceurs 1 & prevoir, et 
a iviter ; des devoirs de bienseance 2 plus rigoureux que 
ceux de la nature ; une contrainte continuelle 3 dans Phabille- 
ment, dans la demarche, dans les actions, dans les paroles ; 
le poids insupportable de l'oisivete ; les lentes persecutions 
des importuns ; il n'est 4 aucune sorte d'esclavage qui ne 
vous tienne enchaines dans ses fers. 

Vos f£tes sont si magnifiques ! et les notres si gaies ! vos 
plaisirs si superficiels et si passagers ! 5 les notres si vrais 
et si constans ! les dignites de la republique imposent-ellcs 6 
des fonctions plus nobles que Fexercice d'un art sans le- 
quel l'industrie et le commerce tomberoient en decadence 1 

Avez-voxis jamais respire dans vos riches appartemens la 
fraicheur de cet air qui sejWesous cette voute de verdure V 
Et vos repas, quelquefois si somptueux, valent-ils ces jattes 
de lait qu'on vient de traire, 8 et ces fruits delicieux que 



1 Noirceurs, 1 black plots,' 1 dark designs.' 

2 Devoirs de bienseance, 1 duties of decorum.' 

3 Une contrainte continuelle , 1 a continual restraint.' 

4 Etre, used as above, is like the impersonal avoir, as, il n'est 
aucune sorte oVesclavage, 1 there is no kind of slavery.' 

5 Passagers, 6 transient.' 

6 The French make use of the nominative and pronoun in putting 
questions ; 6 les dignites de la republique imposent-elles ? ( does the 
dignity of the republic impose?' See page 18, note 1, and page 24, 
note 5. 

7 Vohte de verdure, literally, 'vault of verdure.' The phrase, how- 
ever, corresponds to the English expression, 4 green bower.' 

8 Traire, ( to milk.' As in this phrase there would be an obvious 
tautology, if translated literally, the student will have to change the 
manner of expression. Instead of translating the above sentence by 
« bowls of milk just milked,' it may be said, 1 bowls of fresh milk.' 
Thus, the meaning of the French is preserved, and the genius ot the 
English does not suffer. 



52 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



nous avons cueillis de nos mains ? Et quel gout ne pretent 
pas a nos alimens, des travaux qu'il est si doux d'entre- 
prendre, meme dans les glaces de Phiver, et dans les cha- 
leurs de Pete, dont il est si doux de se delasser} tan tot dans 
Pepaisseur des bois, au souffle des zephyrs, sur un gazon 
qui invite au sommeil ; tantot aupres d'une flamme etince- 
lante, nourrie par des troncs d'arbres que je tire de mon 
domaine, au milieu de ma femme et de mes enfans, objets 
toujours nouveaux de Pamour le plus tendre ; au mepris de 
ces vents impetueux qui grondent autour de ma retraite, 
sans en troubler la tranquillite ! 

Ah ! si le bonheur tfest que la sante de Pame, ne doit-on 
pas le trouver dans les lieux ou regne une juste proportion 
entre les besoins et les desirs, ou le mouvement est tou- 
jours suivi du repos, et Pinteret toujours accompagne du 
calme. 

Barthelemy. 

1 Se delasser, ' to repose,' 6 relax,' ' recreate.' Used as above, 
means, either < to take refuge from,' or e to enjoy any thing moderated 
by another of an opposite property.' The phrase, dont il est si doux 
de se delasser, means, ' from which it is so sweet to take refuge ' ; or, 
which it is so sweet to enjoy, moderated by.' But the above sentence 
has been translated by, ( I can then breathe either the sweet freshness 
of the zephyrs in the shades of groves and romantic scenes that, lull 
to sleep, or enjoy, beside my wife, and the sweet objects of our sincere 
love, lively and comfortable fires made of the oaks of my own domains, 
regardless of the winds which roar, which neither trouble nor molest 
the tranquillity of our retreat.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



53 



DE LA DIGNITE DE L'HOMME. 

L'homme a la force et la majeste ; les graces et la beaute 
sont l'apanage de l'autre sexe. 1 

Tout annonce dans tous deux les maitres de la terre, tout 
marque dans l'homme, me me a Yexterieur, sa superiorite 
sur tous les eUres vivans ; 2 il se soutient droit 3 et eleve, son 
attitude est celle du commandement ; sa t&te regarded le 
ciel, et presente une face auguste sur laquelle est imprime 
le caractere de sa dignite ; 1'image de Fame y est peinte par 
la physionomie ; 1'excellence de sa nature perce a travers 5 
les organes materiels, et anime d'un feu divin les traits de 
son visage ; son port majestueux, sa demarche ferme et 
hardie, 6 annoncent sa noblesse et son rang j 7 il ne touche a 
la terre que par ses extremites le plus eloignes, il ne la 
voit que de loin, et semble la dedaigner ; les bras ne lui sont 
pas donnees pour servir de piliers d'appui a 8 la masse de 
son corps ; sa main ne doit pas fouler la terre, et perdre, par 



1 This sentence is beautifully translated by Goldsmith, thus ; c Strength 
and majesty belong to the man ; grace and softness are the peculiar 
embellishments of the other sex.' 

2 Eire vivans, * living beings.' 

3 JJ se soutient droit, literally, « he supports himself upright.' 

4 Regarder, 6 to regard,' « to view,' &c. Used as above, i to be 
turned'; as, sa tete regarde le ciel^ ' his head is turned towards the 
heavens.' 

5 A travers, ' through.' 

6 Hardie, used as above, * resolute.' 

7 Instead of saying, { his nobleness and his rank,' it were much be t- 
ter to say, « the nobleness of his rank.' 

8 Piliers d'appui a, literally, < pillars of support to ' ; much better, 
' pillars to support.' 

5* 



54 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



des frottemens reiteres, 1 la finesse du toucher 2 dont elle est 
le principal organe; le bras et la main sont faits pour 3 
servir h des usages plus nobles, 4 pour executer les ordres de 
la volonte, pour saisir les choses eloignees, pour ecarter les 
obstacles, pour prbvenir les rencontres et le choc de ce qui 
pourroit nuire, pour embrasser et retenir ce qui peut plaire 
pour le mettre a portee 5 des autres sens. 

Lorsque Tame est tranquille, toutes les parties du visage 
sont dans un etat de repos ; 6 leur proportion, leur union, 
leur ensemble, 7 marquent encore assez la douce harmonie 
des pensees, et repondent au calme de Yinterieur ; 8 mais 
lorsque Tame est agitee, la face humaine devient un tableau 
vivant, ou les passions sont rendues avec autant de delica- 
tesse que d'energie ; ou chaque mouvement de Tame est 
exprime par un trait, 9 chaque action par un caractere dont 
Pimpression vive et prompte devance 10 la volonte, nous de- 



l Frottemens reiteres, literally, e reiterated rubbings ' ; better, ' con- 
tinued friction.' 
Q La finesse du toucher, * the delicacy of touch. 

3 The preposition pour, before an infinitive, is translated ' to.' 

4 A des usages plus nobles. The preposition d., used as above, is 
translated e for.' We should translate this sentence thus ; * for more 
noble purposes.' 

5 Mettre a la portee, x to put within the reach.' 

6 This phrase is thus translated by Goldsmith ; ' when the soul is at 
rest, all the features of the visage seem settled in a state of profound 
tranquillity.' 

7 Leur ensemble, * their whole.' 

8 Et repondent au mime de Vinterieur, literally, * and answer to 
the calmness of the interior'; but this phrase is translated by, 'and 
give true information of what passes within.' 

9 Trait, * trait ' ; used as above, ' corresponding feature.' 

10 Devancer, < to go before,' ' out-go,' e out-run ' ; used as above, ' to 
anticipate.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



55 



chle, 1 et rend au dehors, 2 par des signes pathetiques, les 
images de nos secretes agitations. 

C'est sur-tout dans les yeux qu'elles se peignent et qu'on 
pent les reconnoitre : Pceil appartient a l'ame plus qu'aucun 
autre organe : il semble y toucher et participer a tous ses 
mouvemens ; il en exprime les passions les plus vives et les 
emotions les plus tumultueuses, comme les mouvemens les 
plus doux et les sentimens les plus delicats ; il les rend 
dans toute leur force, dans toute leur purete, tels qu'ils 
viennent de naitre ; il les transmet par des traits rapides 3 
qui portent dans une autre ame le feu, Faction, l'image de 
celle dont ils partent ; Pceil recoit et reflecMt en mdme 
temps la lumiere de la pensee et la chaleur du sentiment ; 
c'est le sens de l'esprit, et la langue de l'intelligence. 

Buffon, 

L'HOMME APRES LA CREATIONS 

Je me souviens de cet instant plein de joie et de trouble, 5 
ou je sentis, pour le premiere fois, ma singuliere existence ; 
je ne savois Q ce que j'6tois, ou j'etois, d'ou je venois. 
Vouvris les yeux : quel surcroit de sensation ! 7 la lumiere, 



1 Deceler, < to reveal.' 

2 Rend au dehors, literally, ' renders without ' ; it should be, * be- 
trays.' 

3 Par des traits rapides, * by rapid flashes,' or * by sympathy.' 

4 « Mr. Buffon,' says Goldsmith, i has imagined a man just newly 
brought into existence, describing the illusion of his first sensations, 
and pointing out the steps by which he arrived at reality.' 

5 Trouble, 1 trouble,' ' pain ' ; used as above, c anxiety.' 

6 Je ne savois, 4 I knew not' ; better, 4 1 was quite ignorant of.' 

7 Quel surcroit de sensation, literally, c what an increase of sensa- 
tion ' ; much better, * what an addition to my surprise ! ' 



56 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



la voute celeste, 1 la verdure de la terre, le crystal des 
eaux, tout m'occupoit, m'animoit, et me donnoit un senti- 
ment inexprimable de plaisir ; je crus% d'abord que tous ces 
objets etoient en moi, et faisoient partie de moi-meme. Je 
m' affermissois dans cette pensee naissante, 3 lorsque je 
tournai les yeux vers l'astre de la lumiere ; son eclat me 
blessa ; je fermai involuntairement la paupiere, 4 et je sentis 
une legere douleur. Dans ce moment d'obscurite, je crus 
avoir perdu tout mon etre. 

Afflige, saisi d'etonnement je pmsois a ce 5 grand change- 
ment, quand tout-a-coup j'entends des sons. Le chant 
des oiseaux, le murmure des airs, formoient un concert 
dont la douce impression me remuoit jusqu'au fond de 
Tame ; 6 yecoutai long-temps, et me persuadai bientot que 
cette harmonie etoit moi. 



1 La lumi&re, la voute celeste, literally, e the light, the celestial 
vault ' ; elegantly, e the light of day, the azure vault of heaven.' 

2 Croire, ( to believe,' is generally translated by c to think,' or e to im- 
agine,' when expressive of supposition ; as, je crus d'abord, e I at first 
imagined.' 

3 Je m? affermissois dans cette pensee naissante, literally, c I strength- 
ened myself in this growing thought' The above sentence has been 
beautifully translated by Goldsmith, thus ; ' Impressed with this idea, 
I turned my eyes to the sun ; its splendour dazzled and overpowered 
me.' 

4 Je fermai involontairement la paupie°re, e Iinvoluntarily shut my 
eyes.' 

5 Je pensois a ce, literally, 4 1 thought ' ; much better, ' I pondered 
on this.' 

6 Dont la douce impression me remuoit jusqu'au fond de Vame, 
literally, 6 the soft impression of which moved me to the bottom of the 
soul.' This, however, has been beautifully rendered, thus : 6 the soft 
cadence of which sunk upon my soul.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



57 



Attentif, occupe tout entier 1 de ce nouveau genre d'exis- 
tence, i'oubliois dej& la lumiere, cette autre partie de mon 
§tre que j'avois connue la premiere, lorsque je rouvris les 
yeux. Quelle joie de me retrouver^ en possession de tant 
d'objets brillans ! mon plaisir surpassa 3 tout ce que favois 
senti la premiere fois, et suspendit pour un temps le char- 
mant effet des sons. 

Je Jixai mes regards 4 sur mille objets divers ; je rtiaper- 
gus bient6t que je pouvois perdre et retrouver ces objets, 
et que i'avois la puissance de detruire et de reproduire a 
mon gre 5 cette belle partie de moi-meme ; et quoiqu'elle 
me parut immense en grandeur, et par la quantite des ac~ 
cidens de lumiere, et par la variete des couleurs, je crus 
reconnoitre que tout 6toit contenu dans une portion de mon 
etre. 

Je commengois & voir e sans emotion, et a entendre sans 
trouble, lorsqu'un air leger, 7 dont je sentis la fraicheur, 
rtiapporta des parfums qui me causerent un epanouisse- 
ment intime, 8 et me donnerent un sentiment d'amour pour 
moi-m&me. 



1 Tout entier, 1 all entire,' c entirely,' * quite.' 

2 Retrouver. In French, the reiteration of the verb is always form- 
ed by prefixing to it the particle re ; in English, sometimes by c re,' 
and sometimes by the addition of c again ' ; as, quelle joie de me retrou- 
ver en possession, ' what a joy to find myself again in possession.' 

3 Mon plaisir surpassa, 6 my pleasure surpassed.' 

4 Je jixai mes regards, literally, * I fixed my looks ' ; much better, 
' I turned my eyes upon.' 

5 A mon gre, ( at pleasure,' * at will.' 

6 Je commengois a voir, 6 I began to see ; ' much better, * I began 
to gaze.' 

7 Air leger, i a light breeze.' 

8 M'apporta de parfums qui me causerent un epanouissement 



58 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



Agite par toutes ces sensations, presse par] les plaisirs 
d'une si belle et si grande existence, je me levai tout d'un 
coup, 1 et je me sentis transporte par une force inconnue. 
Je ne jis qu'un pas ; 2 la nouveaute de ma situation me rendit 
immobile, ma surprise fut extreme; je crus que mon exis- 
tencefuyoit : le mouvement que i'avois fait avoit confondu 
les objets ; je m'imaginois que tout etoit en desordre. 

Je portai la main sur ma tette ; 3 je touchai mon front et 
mes yeux ; je parcourus* mon corps ; ma main me parut etre 
alors le principal organe de mon existence. Ce que je 
sentois dans cette partie etoit si distinct et si complet, la 
jouissance m'en paroissois si parfaite, en comparaison du 
plaisir que m'avoient cause la lumiere et les sons, que je 
vcfattachai tout entier h cette partie solide de mon 6tre 3 et 
je sentis que mes idees prenoient de la profondeur et de la 
realite. 5 

Tout ce que je touchois sur moi sembloit rendre k ma 



intime, literally, 8 brought perfumes which caused in me an inward 
dilation ' ; the above sentence has been elegantly translated by c waft- 
ed its perfumes to my sense of smelling, and gave such satisfaction as 
even increased my self-love. 

1 Je me levai tout d'un coup> 6 1 suddenly arose,' or { I arose at 
once. 9 

2 Je nefis qu'unpas, 6 1 only took a step ' ; better, 4 1 had scarcely 
proceeded forward when.' 

3 Je portal la main sur ma tete, literally, c I carried the hand to my 
head ' ; meaning, c I lifted my hand to my head.' 

4 Je parcourus mon corps, literally, ' I ran over my body ' ; better, 
* I felt over my frame by degrees. 5 

5 Et je sentis que mes idees prenoient de la profondeur et de la 
realite, literally, c I felt that my ideas took profoundness and reality ' ; 
that is, e and I found that my ideas became strong and real.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



59 



main sentiment pour sentiment, et chaque attouchement 
produisoit dans mon ame une double idee. 1 

Je ne fus pas long-temps sans m'apercevoir^ que cette 
faculte de sentir etoit repandue dans toutes les parties de 
mon etre ; je reconnus bientot les limites de mon existence, 
qui m'avoit paru d'abord immense en etendue. 3 

Tavois jete les yeux sur mon corps ; 4 je le jugeois d'un 
volume enorme, et si grand, que tous les objets qui avoient 
frappe mes yeux ne me paroisoient, en comparaison, que 
des points lumineux. 

Je m^examinois long-temps ; je me regardois avec plaisir, 5 
je suivois ma main de Pceil, 6 et i'observois ses mouvemens. 
Teus sur tout cela les idees les plus etranges ; je croyois 
que le mouvement de ma main n 5 etoit qu'une espece d'exis- 
tence fugitive, une succession de choses semblables ; je 
Yapprochai de mes yeux ; elle me parut alors plus grande 
que tout mon corps, et eWejit disparoitre &mavue un nom- 
bre infini d'objets. 7 

1 This sentence is thus rendered by Goldsmith ; £ Every part of my 
body I touched, seemed to touch my hand in turn, and gave back sen- 
sation for sensation. 5 

2 Je nefus pas long-temps sans m?apercevoir, literally, < I was not 
long time without perceiving 9 ; meaning, c I soon found.' 

3 Qui m'avoit paru d'abord immense en etendue, 6 which had ap- 
peared to me at first immense in extent' ; that is, ' which I had in the 
beginning supposed spread over all the objects I saw. 5 

4 J'avois jete les yeux sur mon corps, 4 1 had cast my eyes upon 
my body ' ; better, 6 upon casting my eyes on my body.' 

5 Je m'examinois, je me regardois, avec plaisir, £ I examined, I 
regarded myself with pleasure ' ; better, c I gazed upon my person with 
pleasure. 5 

6 Je suivois ma main de Voe.il, literally, e I followed my hand with 
the eye' ; meaning, ' I watched my hands. 5 

7 Et elle jit disparoitre a ma vue un nombre infini d* objets, ( and 
made dispappear from my sight an infinite number of things. 5 



60 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



Je commengai & soupgonner qu'il y avoit de 1'illusion 
dans cette sensation qui me venoit par les yeux. Vavois 
vu distinctement que ma main n'etoit qu'une petite partie 
de mon corps, et je ne pouvois comprendre qu'elle fut aug- 
mentee au point de me paroitre 1 d'une grandeur demesu- 
ree. 2 Je resolus done de ne me fer qu'au toucher, qui ne 
itiavoit pas encore trompe, et d'etre en garde 3 sur toutes 
les autres fa§ons de sentir* et d'etre. 

Cette precaution me fut utile : je m'etois remis en mouve- 
ment, 5 et je marchois la tete haute et levee vers le ciel 6 ; 
je me Jieurtai legerement 7 contre un palmier ; saisi d'effroi 
je portal ma main sur ce corps etranger ; je le jugeai tel, 8 
parce qu'il ne me rendit pas sentiment pour sentiment. Je 
me detournai avec une espece d'horreur, 9 et je connus, 
pour la premiere fois, qu'il y avoit quelque chose hors de 
moi. 10 



1 Jiu point de paroitre, literally, < to the point ' ; better, < in such 
a manner as to appear of.' 

2 Grandeur demesuree, e immense size.' 

3 Etre en garde sur, c to be on my guard with respect to. 

4 Les autres fagons de sentir et d'etre, e every other kind of feeling 
and of being.' 

5 Je m'etois remis en mouvement, literally, * I had put myself in 
motion again 5 ; better, 6 1 renewed my motion.' 

6 La tete haute et levee vers le del, 6 with the head erect, and turned 
towards the heavens.' 

7 Se heurter legerement, 6 to strike lightly.' 

8 Je le jugeai tel f literally, 4 1 judged it so.' 

9 Je me detournai avec un esp&ce d'horreur, literally, 6 1 turned 
back with horror ' ; better, e I recoiled with horror.' 

10 Quelque chose hors de moi, literally, 6 something out of myself ' ; 
it has been, and it shouid be translated, however, by, £ something which 
did not make a part of my existence.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



61 



Plus agite par cette nouvelle decouverte que je ne Yavois 
ete par toutes les autres, j'ews peine ^me rassurer ; et apres 
avoir medite sur cet 6venement, 1 je conclus que je devois 
juger des objets exterieurs comme \'avois juge des parties 
de mon corps, et qu'il n'y avoit que le toucher qui put 
m' assurer de leur existence. 

Je cherchai 2 done & toucher tout ce que je voyois : je 
voulois toucher le soleil ; i'etendois les bras pour embrasser 
Phorizon et je ne trouvois que le vide des airs. 3 

A chaque experience que je tentois, je tombois de sur- 
prise en surprise ; car tous les objets me paroissoient etre 
&galement pres de moi, et ce ne fut qu'apres 4 une infinite 
d' epreuves que j'appris a me servir de mes yeux pour guil- 
der ma main ; et comme elle me donnoit des idees toutes 
differentes des impressions que je recevois par le sens de 
la vue, mes sensations n'etant pas d' accord entr'elles, 5 mes 
jugemens n'en etoient que plus imparfaits, et le total de 
mon etre 6 n'etoit encore pour moi-meme qu'une existence 
en confusion. 

Profondement occupe de moi, de ce que i'etois, de ce 
que je pouvois etre, les contrarietes que je venois d'iprou- 



" 1 Evenement, e event, 5 e circumstance.' 

2 Je cherchai, literally, 6 1 sought' ; used as above, 4 1 endeavoured,' 
e attempted.' 

3 Le vide des airs, e the vacuity of the airs ' ; better, £ the emptiness 
of space.' 

4 Et ce nefut qu'apres, 6 and it was not till.' 

5 Mes sensations n'etant pas d? accord entr'elles, literally, ' my 
sensations, not agreeing among themselves ' ; better, 6 my feelings 
differing from each other.' 

6 Et le total de mon itre, 6 and the total of my existence,' 

6 



62 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



ver m'humilierent. 1 Plus 2 je rejlecMssois, plus il se pr'esen- 
toit de doutes. Lasse de tant d'incertitudes, fatigue des 
mouvemens de mon ame, mes genoux flechirent* et je me 
trouvai dans une situation de repos. Cet etat de tranquil- 
lite donna de nouvelles forces k mes sens. 

Vetois assis h Pombre d'un bel arbre ; 4 des fruits d'une 
couleur vermeille descendoient, 5 en forme de grappe, 6 et 
la portee 7 de ma main. Je les touchai legerement : aussi- 
tot 8 ils se separhrent de la branche, comme la flgue s'en 
sep are dans le temps de sa maturite. 

Vavois saisi 9 de ces fruits ; je m'imaginois avoir fait une 
conqu6te, et je me glo?*ifiois 10 de la faculte que je sentois de 



1 Les contrarietes que je venoit d'eprouver m'humilierent, 6 the 
contrarieties I had just experienced humbled me.' 

2 Plus, < the more ' ; plus je reflechissois, plus il se presentoit de 
doutes, 6 the more I reflected, the more doubts presented themselves ' ; 
that is, 6 the more I thought, the more doubtful I was.' 

3 Mes genoux flechirent, * my knees were bent.' 

4 J'etois assis a V ombre d'un bel arbre, literally, 6 1 was seated at 
the shade of a fine tree ' ; better, 4 1 sat beneath a beautiful tree.' 

5 Descendoient, e descended' ; much better, c hung upon it.' 

6 En forme de grappe, c like bunches of grapes.' 

7 Ala portee, an adverbial expression, meaning,' « within reach ' ; a 
la portee de ma main, c within the reach of my hand ' ; better, c within 
my reach.' 

8 Aussitot, used as above, 'immediately.' 

9 J'avois saisi, 6 1 had seized ' ; meaning, < I eagerly grasped.' 

30 When two verbs in the same tense are united by the conjunction 
et, the personal pronoun which should go before the second verb is 
suppressed ; &s,je mHmaginois avoir fait une conquete, et je me glori- 
fiois de la faculte que je sentois, c I thought I had made a conquest, 
and gloried in the power I felt.' 

Etje me 9 glorifiois de la faculte que je sentois, literally, 6 and I 
gloried myself of the faculty which I felt ' ; much better, 1 and I was 
proud of being able.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



63 



pouvoir contenir dans ma main un autre §tre tout entier # 
Sa pesanteur, 1 quoique peu sensible, me parut une resist- 
ance animee que je mefaisois unplaisir de vaincre. 2 J'avois 
approche ce fruit de mes yeux, 3 j'en considirois la forme 
et les couleurs. Une odeur delicieuse me le Jit appro cher 
davantage ; 4 il se trouva pres de mes levres ; je tirois k 
longues inspirations le parfum, et goutois h long traits 
les plaisirs de l'odorat. 5 J'etois interieurement rempli de 
cet air embaume. Ma bouche s'ouvrit pour Yexhaler ; elle 
se rouvrit pour en reprendre ; 6 je sentis que je possedois un 
odorat irfterieur plus fin, plus delicat encore que le pre- 
mier : enfin, je goutai. 

Quelle saveur ! quelle nouveaute de sensation ! 7 Jusque- 



1 Sa pesanteur, literally, e its heaviness ' ; better, c its weight.' 

2 Que je me faisois un plaisir de vaincre, 6 which I made a pleas- 
ure to conquer ' ; much better, ' which I felt a pleasure in conquering, 5 

3 J'avois approche ce fruit de mes yeux, literally, 6 1 approached 
that fruit of my eyes ' 5 meaning, ( I held this fruit near my eyes.' 

4 Une odeur delicieuse me le fit approcher davantage^ literally, 
e a delicious smell made me approach it nearer.' This phrase has been 
translated, however, ' a sweet fragrance allured me to bring it nearer.' 

5 Je tirois a longues inspirations le parfum, et goutois a longs traits 
les plaisirs de V odorat. A, in sentences like this, is equivalent to the 
preposition i by,' and sometimes c at' ; je tirois a longues inspirations, 
6 1 drew, by long breathings ' ; et goutois a longs traits, 1 and enjoyed 
at long draughts.' It is abundantly plain, that if this sentence be trans- 
lated literally, there will scarcely be any sense in it. In cases like the 
above, the phraseology of the original should be changed. The follow- 
ing is a version of the sentence in question ; 4 1 drank in its odours, and 
its perfume invited my sense of tasting.' 

6 Elle se rouvrit pour en reprendre, literally, 1 it reopened to retake 
of it,' much better, * again it opened to take some.' 

7 Quelle saveur ! quelle nouveaute de sensation ! literally, e what 
flavour, what newness of sensation.' This phrase should be translated, 
1 how delightful, how new this sensation.' 



64 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



la 1 je riavois eu que des plaisirs ; le gout me donna le sen- 
timent de la volupte. L'intimite de la jouissance Jit naitre 2 
l'idee de la possession. Je cms que la substance de ce fruit 
etoit 3 devenue la rnienne, et que yetois le maitre de trans- 
Jormer les 6tres. 

Flatte de cette idee de puissance, excite par le plaisir 
que yavois senti, je weillis un second et un troisieme fruit, 
et je ne me lassois pas d'exercer 4 ma main pour satisjaire 
mon gout ; mais une langueur agreable $>emparant peu-a- 
peu 5 de tous mes sens, appesantit Q mes membres, et suspeti- 
dit Factivite de mon ame. 7 Je jugeai de son inaction par 
la molles&e de mes pensees ; 8 mes sensations emoussees 
arrondissoient tous les objets, 9 et ne me presentoient que des 



1 Jusque-la, e until that time. 5 

9 Fit naitre, literally, e made born ' ; meaning, ' produced.' 

3 The past tenses of the French are sometimes formed by the verb, 
e to be,' without being reflective. In general, the compound tenses of 
verbs are formed with etre, when they are expressive of motion, and 
when they are neuter, or used as neuter verbs. 

4 JYe pas se lasser de, literally, c not to be tired of.' Je ne me las- 
sois pas d'exercer ma main, * I was not tired with continuing the ex- 
ercise of my hand.' 

5 Peu-a-peu, 6 by degrees,' 1 by little and little. ' 

5 Appesantit, i rendered heavy.' 

6 The whole of this phrase has been thus laconically translated by 
Goldsmith : 6 Flattered with this new acquisition, I continued its ex- 
ercise, till an agreeable languor stealing upon my mind, I felt all my 
limbs become heavy, and all my desire suspended.' 

8 Par la mollesse de mes pensees, literally, c by the softness of my 
thoughts ' ; much better, { by my thoughts being no longer vivid and 
distinct.' 

9 Mes sensations emoussees arrondissoient tous les objets, i my 
blunted sensations made every object round ' ; better, 6 appeared to make 
me lose every object.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



65 



images foibles et mal terminees. 1 Dans cet instant mes 
yeux, devenus inutiles, 2 se fermlrent, et ma tete vCetant 
plus soutenue par la force des muscles, pencha pour trouver 
un appui sur le gazon. 3 Tout fut efface ; tout disparut. 
La trace de mes pens6es 4 fut interrompue, je perdis le 
sentiment de mon existence. Ce sommeil fut profond ; 
mais je ne sais s'il fut de long duree, 5 riayant point 
encore l'idee du temps, et ne pouvant le mesurer. Mon 
reveil ne fut qu'une 6 seconde naissance, et je sentis seule 
ment que j'avois cesse d'etre. Cet aneantissement que je 
venois d'eprouver 7 me donna quelqu'idee de crainte, et me 
ft sentir que je ne devois pas existtr toujours. 8 

Teus une autre inquietude : je ne savois si je tfavois pas 
laisse, dans le sommeil, quelque partie de mon £tre. J'es- 
sayai mes sens ; je cherchai 9 a me reconnoitre. 

1 Et mal terminees, literally, c badly terminated ' ; which means, 
' indistinctly defined.' 

2 The past participle alone, is often used for the participle absolute ; 
as, devenus inutile s 9 1 having become useless.' 

3 Pencha pour trouver un appui sur le gazon, 1 hung, to find a 
support on the grass ' ; it has been translated, i sunk upon a flowery 
bank.' 

4 La trace de mes pensees, literally, ' the trace of my thoughts'; 
meaning, £ the chain of thought.' 

5 S'il fut de longue duree, literally, £ if it was of a long continua- 
tion' ; it should be, c if* it continued long.' 

6 Ne fut qu'une, literally, < it was but' ; meaning, ' appeared like.' 
"7 Cet aneantissement que je venois d'eprouver, 1 this annihilation 

which I had just experienced.' 

8 Et me fit sentir que je ne devois pas exister toujours, literally, 
1 and it made me feel that I was not to exist for ever ' ; better, 1 and I 
concluded from it that I was not formed to exist for ever.' 

9 Chercher, which means ' to seek,' when used as above, is used to 
signify, < to endeavour,' ' to attempt,' 1 to try.' 



66 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



Dans cet instant l'astre du jour, 1 sur la fin de sa course, 
eteignit son flambeau. 2 Je vtiaperqus a peine que je per- 
dois le sens de la vue ; ]'ezi$tois trop pour craindre de cesser 
ftetre, et cefut vainement que Pobscurite ou je me trouvafi 
me rappela Pidee de mon premier sommeil. 

Buffon. 

DU CIEL. 

Il est temps d'elever 4 nos yeux vers le ciel. Quelle puis- 
sance a construit, au dessus de nos t£tes, 5 une si v,aste et 
si superbe voute ? Quelle etonnante variete d'admirables 
objets ! Cest pour nous donner un beau spectacle, qu'une 
main toute puissante 6 a mis devant nos yeux de si grands 
et de si eclatans objets. " Cest pour nous faire admirer 
le ciel/ 7 dit Cic6ron, que Dieu a faitl'hoinme autrement que 
le reste des animaux. II est droit et Ihve la tete, pour etre 
occupe de ce qui est au dessus de lui. Tantot nous voyons 
un azur sombre, 7 ou les feux les plus purs etincellent. 
Tantot nous voyons, dans un ciel tempere, les plus douces 
couleurs, avec des nuances 8 que la peinture ne pent imiter. 
Tant6t nous voyons des nuages de toutes les figures et de 



1 Bans cet instant, Vastre du jour ; meaning, * at this instant the 
planet of the day.' In French the sun is commonly called, in a figura- 
tive manner, Vastre du jour ; equivalent to i father of light,' in English. 

2 Eteignit son flambeau, 6 extinguished his flame.' 

3 Se trouver, 1 to find one's self.' This reflective verb is often trans- 
lated in English by < to be ' ; as, ou je me trouvai, ' in which I was.' 

4 Elever, 1 to elevate ' ; better, ' to turn. 5 

5 Au dessus de nos tttes, i over our heads. 

6 Toute puissante, c all-powerful,' 

7 Un azur sombre, c a dark azure.' 

8 Avec des nuances, 6 with such shades.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



67 



toules les couleurs les plus vives, qui changent a chaque 
moment cette decoration, par les plus beaux accidens de 
lumiere. 1 La succession reguliere des jours et des nuits, 
que fait-e\\e entendre? 2 Le soleil ne manque jamais, de- 
puis 3 tant de siecles, & servir les hommes, qui ne peuvent 
se passer de 4 lui, L'aurore, depuis des milliers d'annees, 
n'a pas manque une seule fois Cannoneer le jour : elle le 
commence, & point nomme, 5 au moment et au lieu regie. 
Le soleil, dit l'Ecriture, sait ou il doit se coucher chaque 
jour. Par-la 6 il eclair e tour-a-tour 7 les deux cotes] du 
monde, et visite tous ceux auxquels il doit ses rayons. Le 
jour est le temps de la societe et du travail : la nuit, envel- 
loppant de ses ombres la terre, jinit tour-a-tour toutes les 
fatigues, et adoucit toutes les peines. Elle suspend^ elle 
calme tout ; elle rep and le silence et le sommeil. En de~ 
lassant les corps, 8 elle renouvette les esprits. Bientot le 
jour revient, pour rappeler Phomme au travail et pour rani- 
mer toute la nature. 

Fenelon. 



1 Accidens de lumiere, literally, * accidents of light ' ; meaning, 
' changes of light.' 

2 Que fait-elle entendre ? literally, c what does it make understand ? ' 
meaning, 4 of what does it remind us ? ' 

3 Depuis, used as above, 4 during the space.' 

4 Se passer de, « to pass one's self.' This verb is generally used to 
mean, 4 to do without ' ; used as above, 4 to exist without.' 

5 A point nomme, {literally, * at an appointed point ' ; meaning, e at 
an appointed hour.' 

6 Par-la, 4 by this.' 

7 Tour-a-tour, 4 by turns.' 

8 En delassant les corps, 4 in giving repose ' or * in refreshing the 
body.' 



68 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



DE L'AMOUR DU GENRE HUMAIN. 

O humanite, penchant genereux et sublime, qui vous 
annoncez, 1 dans notre enfance, par les transports (Tune ten- 
dresse naive ; dans la jeunesse, par la temerite d'une con- 
fiance aveugle ; dans le courant de notre vie, 2 par la facilite 
avec laquelle nous contractons de nouvelles liaisons ! 3 O 
cris de la nature, qui retentissez 4 d'un bout de l'Univers a, 
l'autre, qui nous remplissez de remords, 5 quand nous oppri- 
?nons 6 nos semblables ; d'une volupte pure, quand nous 
pouvons les soulager ! O amour, 6 amitie, 6 bienfaisance, 
sources intarissables de biens et de douceurs, les hommes 
ne sont malheureux, que parce qu'ils refusent entendre 1 
votre voix ! O Dieux, auteurs de si grands r g bienfaits ! L'in- 
stinct pouvoit sans doute, en rapprochant des etres accables 
de besoins et de maux, prefer un soutien passager 8 a leur 
foiblesse ; mais il n'y a qu'une bonte infinie comme la vfitre, 
qui ait pu former le projet de nous r assembler par 1'attrait 
du sentiment, et r6pandre } sur ces grandes associations 9 qui 



* Qui vous annoncez, ' who announce yourself ' ; better, s who make 
yourself felt.' 

2 Dans le courant de notre vie, 6 in the course of our life.' 

3 Liaison, < binding ' ; used as above, £ connexion,' 6 friendship,' 
' tie.' 

4 Retentissez, ind. pres. 2 per. pi. e you resound ' ; used as above, 
the pronoun should be added in English, thus : O cris de la nature, 
qui retentissez, ' O cries of nature, you that resound.' 

5 Qui nous remplissez des remords, 4 you that fill us with remorse.' 

6 Opprimons, ind. pres. 1 per. pi., ' we oppress.' From opprimer. 

7 Entendre, i to hear,' 4 to hearken to,' * to listen to.' 

8 Soutien passager, * a transient support.' 

9 Associations, 4 association^ used as above, * society.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



69 



couvrent la terre, une chaleur capable d'en iterniser la 
duree. 1 

Cependant, au lieu de nourrir ce feu sacre, nous permet- 
tons que de frivoles dissentions, 2 de vils interets travaillenfi 
sans cesse k Y'eteindre. Si Ton nous disoit que deux incon- 
nus, jetes par hazard dans une ile deserte, sont parvenus h 
trouver 4 dans leur union des charmes, qui les dedommagent 
du reste de l'Univers ; 5 si Ton nous disoit qu'il existe une 
famille uniquement occupee h fortifier les liens du sang par 
les liens de 1'amitie ; si Ton nous disoit qu'il existe dans un 
coin de la terre, un peuple qui ne connoit d'autre felicite 
que celle de s' aimer, d'autre crime que de ne s' aimer pas 
assez ; qui de nous oseroit plaindre le sort de ces deux 
inconnus ? 6 Qui ne desireroit appartenir a cette famille ? 
Qui ne voleroit h cet heureux climat ? O mortels, ignorans 
et indignes de votre destinee ! il n'^s* pas necessaire de 



1 Une chaleur capable d 9 en eterniser la duree, literally, < a heat, 
capable to eternalize their lasting 9 ; better, c that flame 'which alone can 
render their existence eternal.' 

2 Frivoles disseniions, e frivolous contentions. 5 

3 Travailler a, literally, 4 to work to ' ; used as above, 6 to conspire 
to,' or 6 secretly to work ' ; as, que de frivoles dissensions travaillent 
sans cesse a Veteindre, e that frivolous contentions should incessantly 
conspire to extinguish it,' or 6 should incessantly and secretly work to 
extinguish it.' 

4 Sont parvenus h trouver, literally, e are come to find ' ; that is, 
4 have ultimately found.' 

5 Qui les dedommagent du reste de V Uhivers, c which indemnifies 
for the rest of the universe ' ; better, e which is sufficient to counter- 
balance the loss of the rest of the world.' 

6 We had occasion to observe, in page 33, note 4, that suppression 
of substantives was very common in French. The phrase ces deux 
inconnus, should be translated by 6 those two unknown individuals,' or 
* persons, 3 



70 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



traverser les mers pour decouvrir le bonheur ; il peut exister 
dans tous les etats, dans tous les temps, dans tous les lieux, 
dans vous, autour de vous, par-tout ou Ton aime. 

Barthelemy. 

LA JALOUSIE. 

Jalousie, toi que la vanite et le besoin Jirent nctitrej- 
mere de tant de tourmens et de noires fureurs, comment te 
representer ? 2 Malheureux le coeur qui a ressenti ses cru- 
elles atteintes ! 3 Des qu'une fois elle est entree 4 dans une 
ame, des qu'elle a commence d'y etablir son empire, elle 
ne cesse jamais d'y regner / elle peut laisser respirer pen- 
dant quelques momens l'&tre infortune dont elle tient le 
coeur dans ses mains cruelles, mais ce n J est le plus souvent 
que pour Imfaire eprouver des tourmens encore plus affreux : 
plus 5 de repos, plus de plaisir, plus de joie, plus de tranquille 



1 Toi que la vanite et le besoin jirent naitre, literally, e thou whom 
vanity and necessity caused to be born 9 ; the meaning of the sentence 
is, however, c thou the offspring of vanity and necessity.' 

2 This sentence is elliptical, and the words, 4 can I,' or ( shall I,' are 
understood. In English the ellipsis must be supplied. Comment te 
representer ? should therefore be translated by 6 how shall I represent 
thee ? ' that is, e in what manner shall I make thy portrait ? 5 

3 Qui a ressentis ses cruelles atteintes, literally, c that has been 
afflicted with its cruel blows ' ; much better, e that has ever felt the 
pangs of this horrid disease.' 

4 Des qu'une fois elle est entree, literally, e from the moment she is 
entered ' ; but it should be translated, 4 when once she has taken pos- 
session of the.' 

5 Plus. Such is the peculiarity of this expression, that the same 
words, used in the same manner, are sometimes employed to represent a 
contrary signification, from that given to their general acceptation. 
Now the word plus means c more,' speaking of quantity, and { longer,' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



71 



paix : sans cesse inquiete, sans cesse ecoutant tout, 1 elle cree 
elle-meme des fantomes qui la dechirent ; les lieux les plus 
solitaires, les plus recules sont ceux ou elle va composer ses 
noirs venins 2 pour les repandre ensuite : mais ce venin si actif, 
ce venin si funeste aux malheureux objets de sa rage, se r6- 
pand sur elle-meme, Yinfecte et la devore, elle est la premiere 
victime de ses projets horribles et inhumains ; la vengeance 
la plus atroce ne pent arracher le trait qui Ya blessee, 3 elle 
nefait que Yagiter et agrandir la plaie : 4 sans cesse en proie 
h l'horrible serpent 5 qui la couvre de ses poisons, elle fait 
de vains efforts pourVen deharrasser ; 6 le monstre la saisit, 
la serve au milieu de ses horribles contours, 7 et sans cesse 8 

speaking of time. A directly contrary sense must be given to it above, 
for, in this phrase, plus de repos, plus de plaisir, &c. means, ' no 
more repose, no more pleasure.' 

1 Sans cesse inqui&te, sans cesse ecoutant tout, literally, c inces- 
santly unquiet, incessantly hearing every thing ' ; much better, 6 with 
incessant inquietude she listens to eveiy thing. 5 

2 Elle va composer ses noir venins, literally, € she goes to compose 
her dark venoms ' ; that is, e she mingles her rancorous venom.' 

3 La vengeance la plus atroce ne peut arracher le trait qui Va 
blessee, ( the most atrocious vengeance cannot pluck out the arrow 
which has wounded her ' ; better, c no vengeance, how atrocious soever, 
can cure the wound she has received.' 

4 JYefaire que, literally, c to make but.' This is, however, an idio- 
matic expression, which means, ( to serve only,' c to tend,' &c. ; as, 
elle ne fait que Vagiter et agrandir la plaie, ( it only tends to agitate 
her, and increase her sore.' 

5 Sans cesse en proie a Vhorrible serpent, ( she is incessantly a prey 
to the horrible serpent.' 

6 Elle fait de vains efforts pour s'en deharrasser, literally, ( she 
makes vain efforts to disembarrass herself of ' ; much better ; 'she la- 
bors in vain to shake it off.' 

7 Contours, 6 outlines ' ; used as above, e fold ' ; as, horribles con- 
tours, ( horrible folds.' 

8 Sans cesse, ' incessantly,' ' without ceasing.' 



t 



72 DESCRIPTIONS. 

percant son cceur de 1 son aiguillon infecte, 2 il lui fait 
eprouver des maux plus cruels que tous ceux que preparent 
ses haines et ses vengeances : 3 rien n'est sacre pour elle ; 
si elle mar die presque toujours dans Pombre, la rage et le 
desespoir font brillei A devant elle leurs torches funebres; 
presque toujours elle porte ses coups d'une main assuree, 5 
et son poignard altere de sang nefrappe presque jamais en 
vain. 

Lacepede. 

L'ERUPTION D'UN VOLCAN. 

TouT-a-coup au milieu du silence de la nuit, un bruit 
affreux retentit k leurs oreilles ; ils entendent de loin 6 la mer 
mugir, et rouler vers le rivage ses ondes amoncelees ; les 
souterrains profonds sont frappes a 7 coups redoubles ; 8 la 
terre tremble sous leurs pas ; 9 ils courent pleins d'effroi au 



1 De, e of.' It must be observed, that the same adjective, or verb, 
requires different prepositions in English, from those required in French. 
In French it is said, percer de, in English, c to pierce with.' 

2 Aiguillon infecte, 6 infected ' or c venomous sfing.' 

3 Que preparent ses haines et ses vengeances, c which his vengeance 
and hatred prepare.' We have already had occasion to observe that 
the verb sometimes precedes the nominative case. 

4 Font briller leurs torches funebres, literally, e make shine 9 ; mean- 
ing, kindle their dismal torches.' 

5 Elle porte ses coups oVune main assuree, literally, 6 she carries 
her blows with a sure hand' ; meaning, c she with certainty.'. 

6 De loin, ( from afar.' 

7 A. The preposition is variously used in French. The least study 
will show, that here it is employed in the sense of c by ' or 4 with.' 

8 Coups redoubles, literally, c redoubled blows ' ; much better, 6 re- 
peated blows.' 

9 Leur pas, c their steps ' ; much better, i their feet ' ; that is, the 
feet of those who felt the eruption of this volcano. 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



73 



milieu des tenebres epaises. Une montagne voisine s'era- 
trouvrant avec effort, lance, au plus haut des airs, 1 une 
colonne ardente, qui repand au milieu de l'obscurite une 
lumiere rougeatre et lugubre ; des rochers enormes volent 
de tous cotes ; la foudre eclate et tombe ; une mer de feu 5 
s'avangant avec rapidite, inonde les campagnes a son ap- 
proche ; 2 les forets s 5 embrasent ; la surface de la terre 
n'offre plus que l'image d'un vaste incendie, qu'entretiennent 
des amas enormes de matieres enflammees, et qu'animent 
des vents impetueux. Ou fuyez-vous mortels infortunes ? 
de quelque c6te que vous cherchiez 3 un asyle, comment 
eviterez- vous la mort qui vous menace ? De nouveaux gouffres 
s'ouvrent sous vos pas, de nouveaux tourbillons de flamme, 
de pierres, de cendres et de fumee, volent vers vous du 
sommet des montagnes ; et la mer ecumeuse, rougie par 
1 'eclat des foudres, surmonte son rivage et s'avance pour 
vous engloutir. 

Cependant ces phenomenes terribles tfapaisent peu-a-peu ; 
les feux s'amortissent ; la mer, a demi-calmee 4 retire en 
murmurant ses ondes bouillonnantes ; la terre se raffermit ; 
le bruit cesse, et le jour parott. duel triste et lugubre 
tableau presente la campagne ravagee ! Elle n'offre plus 
que des monceaux de cendres, que des rochers enormes 
entasses sans ordre, que des torrens de lave ardente, que 



1 Au plus haut des air, literally, c to the highest of the airs ' ; mean- 
ing, e to the lofty skies.' 

2 A son approche, literally, e to its approach ' ; meaning, ' as it ap- 
proaches.' 

3 De quelque cdte que vous cherchiez, ' on whatever side you may 
seek.' 

4 A demi-calmee, literally, { to half calmed 5 ; meaning, 6 being nearly 
calm.' 

7 



74 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



des bois qui brulent encore, que de tristes restes des infor- 
nes qui ont peri au milieu de ces desastres. Un ciei cou- 
vert de nuages n'envoie sur tous ces objets funebres qu'une 
clarte pale et terne : un calme sinistre regne dans l'air ; 
des bruits lointains annoncent de nouveaux malheurs ; et la 
mer repond par de sourds gemissemens 1 au bruit lugubre 
que font entendre les profondes cavernes 2 de la terre. Con- 
sternes, saisis d'effroi, presses dans le seul espace ou les 
flammes ne sont pas parvenues, les mains 3 elevees vers le 
ciel, qui seul jpeut les secourir, les hommes addressent alors 
leurs ardentes prieres h celui qui commande k la mer et h la 
foudre. Leur priere est courte, mais touchante ; ils recom- 
mencent souvent, et chaque fois avec un ton plus p6netre ; 4 
ils cherchent en quelque sorte a faire parve?iir 5 leur voix 
jusques a l'etre dont ils imjphrent la clemence : tous les 
signes des passions qui les agitent, de l'effroi, de la vive 
inquietude, de la desolation, se melent aux sons qu'ils pro- 
ferent, et qu'ils soutiennent avec effort. 

LA PESTE D'ATHENES. 

Jamais ce fleau terrible ne ravagea tant de climats. 
Sorti 6 de PEthiopie il avoit parcouru PEgypte, la Lybie, une 

1 Sourds gemissemens, ( hollow roarings.' 

2 Que font entendre les profondes cav ernes, literally, e which the 
profound caverns make hear ' ; but it must be translated by ' which 
issue from the deep caverns.' 

3 The preposition 6 with,' is absolutely necessary before ' hands,' 

les mains, 

4 Un ton plus penetre, ' more earnest voice.' 

5 Faire parvenir, * to make become ' ; used as above, * to transmit. 5 

6 Sorti, 6 gone out.' This participle requires the '* having,' or * be- 
ng ' ; as, sorti de VEthiopie, '^having proceeded from Ethiopia.' 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



75 



partie de la Perse, Tile de Lemnos, et d'autres lieux encore. 
Un vaisseau marchand Yintroduisit sans doute au Piree, ou 
il se manifesto, d'abord j 1 de la il se repandit avec fureur 
dans la ville, et sur-tout dans ces demeures obscurs et mal- 
saines, ou les habitans de la campagne se trouvoient en- 
tasses. 

Le mal attaquoit successivement toutes les parties du 
corps : les symptomes en etoient effrayans, les progres ra- 
pides, les suites 2 presque toujours mortelles. Des les pre- 
mieres atteintes, 3 Tame perdoit ses forces, le corps sembloit 
en acqutrir de nouvelles ; et tfetoit un cruel supplice de 
resist er a la maladie, sans poiwoir resist er a la douleur. 4 
Les insomnies, les terreurs, des sanglots redoubles, des 
convulsions efFr ay antes, ri etoient pas les seuls tour mens 
reserves aux malades. Une chaleur brulante les devoroit 
interieurement. Couverts d'ulceres et de taches livides, 
les yeux enflammes, la poitrine oppressee, les entrailles 
dechirees, exhalant une odeur fetide de leur bouche souillee 
d'un sang impur, on les voyoit se trainer dans les rues, 
pour respirer plus librement ; et ne pouvant Ueindre la soif 
brulante dont ils etoient consumes, se precipiter dans des 
puits ou dans les rivieres couvertes de glagons. 

La plupart perissoient au septieme ou au neuvieme jour. 
S'ils prolong eoient leur vie au-delei de ces termes, ce rYetGit 
que pour eprouver une mort plus douloureuse et plus lente. 

Ceux qui ne succomboient pas a la maladie, 5 n'en itoient 



1 U se manifesto, d'abord, e it first appeared.' 

2 Les suites, e the consequences,' 4 the effects.' 

3 Les premidres atteintes, speaking of maladies, * the first symp- 
toms,' or ' attack.' 

4 Douleur, means ( pain/ as well as e grief.' 

5 Succomber a la maladie, literally, ( to succumb to a malady ' ; the 



76 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



presque jamais atteints une seconde fois. Foible consola- 
tion ! car ils v?offroient plus aux yeux que les restes infortu- 
nes d'eux-m&mes. 1 Les uns avoient perdu Pusage de 
plusieurs de leur membres ; les autres ne conservoient au- 
cune idee du passee : heureux sans doute d'ignorer leur 
etat ; mais ils ne pouvoient reconnoitre leurs amis. 

Le meme traitement produisoit des effets tour-a-tour 
•alutaires et nuisibles : la maladie sembloit braver les regies 
de l'experience. Comme elle infestoit aussi plusieurs pro- 
vinces de la Perse, le roi Artaxerxes resolut d'appeler a 
leur secours le cel^bre Hipprocrate, qui Uoit alors dans Tile 
de Cos : iljit briller a ses yeux 2 de Tor et des dignites ; 
mais le grand homme repondit au grand roi qu'il n'avoit 
ni besoins ni desirs, et qu'il se devoift aux Grecs, plutot 
qu'a leurs ennemis. II vint ensuite offrir ses services aux 
Atheniens, qui le recur ent avec d'autant plus 4 de reconois- 
sance, que 5 la plupart de leurs medecins ttoient morts vic- 
times de leur zele \ il epuisa les ressources de son art, et 
exposa plusieurs fois sa vie. S'il n'obtint pas tout le succes 
que meritoient de si beaux sacrifices et de si grands talens, 
il donna du moins des consolations et des esperances. On 



corresponding phrase in English is, * to be carried off by,' c to be the 
victim of a malady.' 

1 Car ils rtoffroient plus aux yeux que les restes infortunes d'eux- 
mtmes, literally, * for they did not offer to the view more than the un- 
fortunate remains of themselves ' ; much better, ' for they only pre- 
sented to their view the sad ruins of their persons.' 

2 II fit briller a ses yeux, literally, 'he made shine to his eyes ' ; it 
should be translated, however, by ' he placed before him a bright dis- 
play.' 

3 Et quHl se devoit, literally, < he owed himself much better, 

6 belonged to. ' 

4 D'autant plus, € much more.' 

5 Que, used as above, * as,' « since. 



DESCRIPTIONS. 



77 



dit que pour purifier Pair, il fit allumer des feux dans les 
rues d' Athenes ; d'autres pretendent que ce moyen fut em- 
ploye, avec quelque sudces, par un medecin d'Agrigente, 
nomme Acron. 

On vit, dans les commencemens, de grands exemples de 
piete filiale, d'amitie genereuse ; mais comme ils furent 
presque toujours funestes a leurs auteurs, ils ne se renou- 
velerent que rarement dans la suite. 1 Alors les liens les 
plus respectables furent brises ; les yeux, pres de sefenner, 
ne virent de toutes parts qu'une solitude profonde, et la 
mort ne^ plus couler de larmes. 

Get endurcissement produisit une licence eifrenee. La 
perte de tant de gens de bien, confondus dans un meme 
tombeau avec les scelerats ; le renversement de tant de 
fortunes, devenues tout-a-coup le partage ou le proie des 
citoyens les plus obscurs, frapperent vivement ceux qui 
tiont d'autre principe que la crainte : persuades que les 
Dieux ne prenoient plus d'interet a la vertu, et que la ven- 
geance des lois ne seroit pas aussi prompte que la mort 
dont ils ttoient menaces, ils crurent que la fragilite des 
choses humaines leur indiquoit 1' usage qu'ils en devoient 
faire ; et que ay ant plus que des momens a vivre, ils 
devoient du moins les passer dans le sein des plaisirs. 

Au bout de deux ans, la peste parut se calmer. Pendant 
ce repos, on s'apercut plus d'une fois que le germe de la 
contagion n'itoit pas detruit ; il se develloppa dix huit mois 
apres ; et dans le cours d'une annee entiere, il reproduisit 
les meraes scenes de deuil et d'horreur. Sous Tune et 
Tautre epoque, il peril un tres-grand nombre de citoyens, 
parmi lesquels il faut compteripres de cinq mille hommes en 



1 Dans la suite, used as above, ' afterwards/ 
7* 



78 



PORTRAITS. 



etat de porter les armes. La perte la plus irreparable fut 
celle de Pericles, qui, dans la troisieme annee de la guerre, 
mourut des suites de la maladie. 

Barthelemy. 

PORTRAITS. 



BOURDALOUE. 

Ce qui me plait, ce que ] > admire ) principalement dans 
Bourdaloue, c'est qu'il sefait oublier lui-m6me ; c'est que, 
dans un genre trop souvent livre a la declamation, il n'ez- 
agere jamais les devoirs du christianisme, ne change point 
en preceptes les simples conseils, et que sa morale peut 
toujours etre reduite en pratique ; c'est la fecondite inepui- 
sable de ses plans qui ne se rcssemblent jamais, et l'heureux 
talent de disposer ses raisonnemens avec cet ordre dont 
parle Quintilien, lorsqu'il compare le merite d r un orateur 
qui compose]un discours a Fhabilete d'un general qui com- 
mande une armee ; c'est cette logique exacte et pressante 
qui exclut les sophismes, les contradictions, les paradoxes ; 
c'est Tart avec Iequel il fonde nos devoirs sur nos interests, 
et ce secret precieux, que je ne vois gueres que dans ses 
sermons, de convertir les details des moeurs en preuve de 
son sujet ; c'est cette abondance de genie 1 qui ne laisse 
rien a imaginer au-dela de chacun de ses discours, 2 quoi- 



1 Abondance de genie, 6 fertility of genius.' 

2 Qui ne laisse rien a imaginer au-dela de chacun de ses discours, 
* which leaves nothing for the imagination to conceive, beyond each 
one of his discourses.' 



PORTRAITS. 



79 



qu'il en ait compose au moins deux, souvent trois, quelque- 
fois meme quatre, sur la meme matiere, 1 et qu'on ne sache, 
apres les avoir lus, auquel donner la preference ; c'est la 
simplicite d'un style nerveux et touchant, naturel et noble ; 
la connoissance la plus profonde de la religion, Pusage admi- 
rable qu'il fait de l'Ecriture et des Peres : enfin, je ne 
pense jamais a ce grand homme sans me dire a moi-meme : 
Voild done jusqu'ou le genie pent s'elever, quand il est sou- 
tenu 2 par le travail ! 

Maury. 

MASSILLON. 

Il excelle dans la partie de l'Orateur, qui seule peut tenir 
lieu de toutes les autres, dans cette eloquence qui va droit 
a Tame, mais qui Vagite sans la renverser, qui la consterne 
sans la Jletrir } et qui la penetrer sans la dechirer. II va 
chercher au fond du coeur ces replis caches ou les passions 
s : ' envelloppent, ces sophismes secrets dont elles savent si 
bien Haider pour nous aveugler et nous seduire. Pour 
combattre et detruire ces sophismes, il lui suffit presque de 
les devellopper^ avec une onction si affectueuse et si tendre, 
qu'il subjugue moins qu'il n'entrame, et qu'en nous offrant 
meme la peinture de nos vices, il sait encore nous attacker 
et nous plaire. Sa diction, toujours facile, elegante et 
pure, est par-tout de cette simplicite noble, sans laquelle il 
n'y a ni bon gout, ni veritable eloquence ; simplicite qui, 
reunie dans Massillon a l'harmonie la plus seduisante, et la 



1 Sur la meme matiere, 6 on the same subject.' 

2 Soutenu, e supported ' ; better, * seconded,' < improved.' 

3 II lui suffit presque de les developper, c it is almost enough for 
him to expose them.' 



80 



PORTRAITS. 



plus douce, en emprunte encore des graces nouvelles ; et ce 
qui met le comble au char me 1 que fait eprouver ce style 
enchanteur, 2 on sent 3 que tant de beautes out coule de 
source, 4 et n'ont rien coute a celui qui les a produites. II 
lui echappe m§me quelquefois, soit dans les expressions, 
soit dans les tours, soit dans la melodie si touchante de son 
style, des negligences qu'on pent appeler heureuses, parce- 
qu'elles achevent de faire disparoitre, non-seulement Tern- 
preinte, mais jusqu'au soup^on du travail. C'est par cet 
abandon de lui-meme que Massillon sefaisoit autant d'amia 
que d'auditeurs ; il savoit que plus un orateur ^aroi^ occupe 
tfenlever l'admiration, moins ceux qui Yecoutent sont dis- 
poses a la lui accorder. 

D'Alembert. 

FONTENELLE. 

On soit que Fontenelle est le premier qui ait orne les 
sciences des graces de Pimagination ; mais comme il le dit 
lui-meme, il est tres difficile d'embellir ce qui ne doit Yetre 
que jusqu'a un certain degre. Un tact tres-fin, et pour 
lequel l'esprit ne suffit pas, a pu seul lui indiquer cette 
mesure. Fontenelle a sur-tout cette clarte qui dans les 
sujets philosophiques est la premiere des graces. Son art 
de presenter les objets, est pour l'esprit ce que le telescope 



1 Et ce qui met le comble au charme, ' and that which heightens the 
charm to the greatest degree.' 

2 Que fait eprouver ce style enchanteur, literally, * which makes 
experience that charming style ' ; much better, * which we feel in that 
beautiful style.' 

3 It will be necessary to translate on sent que, by £ is the feeling that.' 

4 Ont coule de source, ' have run from the source 5 ; that is, * are 
original.' 



PORTRAITS. 



81 



est pour Pceil de Pobservateur : il abrege les distances. 
L'homme peu instruit, voit une surface d'idees qui Vint 
teresse; l'homme savant, decouvre la profondeur cachee 
sous cette surface. Ainsi il donne des id6es a Pun, et re- 
veille les idees de 1' autre. Pour la partie morale, Fontenelle 
a Pair d'un philosophe qui connoit les hommes, qui les 
observe, qui les craint, qui quelquefois les meprise, mais qui 
ne trahit 1 son secret qu'a demi. Presque toujours il glis'se 
a cote des prejuges, 2 se tenant a la distance qu'il faut pour 
que les uns lui rendent justice, et que les autres ne lui en 
f assent pas un crime. II ne compromet point la raison ; ne 
la montre que de loin, mais la montre toujours. A Pegard de 
sa maniere, car il en a une, la finesse et la grace y dominent, 
comme on sait, bien plus que la force. II n } est point elo- 
quent, ne doit et ne vent point Yetre ; mais il attache et il 
plait. D'autres reinvent les choses communes par des ex- 
pressions nobles ; lui, presque toujours, peint les grandes 
choses sous des images familieres. Cette maniere, pent 
etre critiquee, mais elle est piquante. D'abord 3 elle donne 
le plaisir de la surprise par le contraste, et par les nouveaux 
rapports qu'elle decouvre : ensuite on aime a voir un homme 
qui rfest pas etonne des grandes choses ; ce point de vue 
semble nous agrandir. Peut-etre meme lui savons-nous 
gre de 4 ne pas vouloir nous forcer a Padmiration, 5 sentiment 



1 Trahir, * to betray ' ; used as above, c to reveal.' 

2 11 glisse cl cdte des prejuges, literally, ' he glides along by preju- 
dices.' 

3 D'abord, « in the first place.' 

4 Savoir gre de, 4 to be obliged, 9 4 to thank for ' ; peut-etre meme lui 
savons-nous-gre de ne, &c, 4 we must, perhaps, even thank him for.' 

5 Ne pas vouloir nous forcer a V admiration, literally, c not to be 
willing to force us to admiration.' The meaning of the sentence, is, 
however, 4 for not having obliged us to admire him.' 



82 



PORTRAITS. 



qui nous accuse toujours un peu, ou d'ignorance, ou de 
foiblesse. 

Thomas. 

BOSSUET. 

On a dit que c'etoit le seul homme vraiment eloquent 
sous le siecle de Louis XIV. Ce jugement paroitra sans 
doute extraordinaire. Mais si Peloquence consiste a s'm- 
parer fortement d'un sujet, a en connoitre les ressources, a 
en mesurer Petendue, a enchainer toutes les parties, if aire 
succhder avec impetuosite les idees aux idees, et les senti- 
mens aux sentimens, a etre pousse par une force irresistible 
qui vous entraine^ et a communiquer ce mouvement rapide 
et involontaire aux autres ; si elle consiste a peindre avec 
des images vives, a agrandir Tame, a Yetonner, a repandre 
dans le discours un sentiment qui se mile a chaque idee et 
lui donne la 1 vie ; si elle consiste a creer des expressions 
profondes et vastes qui enrichissent les langues, a enchanter 
Poreille par une harmonie majestueuse, a n' avoir ni un ton, 
ni une maniere fixe, mais a prendre toujours et le ton et la 
loi du moment ; a marcher quelquefois avec une grandeur 
imposante et calme, puis tout-a-coup a £ 'dancer? a ^clever 
encore, imitant la nature, qui est irreguliere et grande, et 
qui embellit quelquefois Pordre de Punivers par le desordre 
meme ; si telle est le caractere de la sublime eloquence; 
qui, parmi nous, 3 a jamais ete aussi eloquent que 4 Bossuet ? 

1 The article, la, should not be translated in English. It is almost a 
general rule, that in cases like the above, the article is seldom or never 
translated. 

2 A s'elancer, literally, 1 to rush upon ' ; it means, however, « to burst 
forth.' 

3 Parmi nous, ( among us,' 

4 Que, preceded by aussi, means ' as.' 



PORTRAITS. 



83 



Q,ui mieux que 1 lui a parle de la vie, de la mort, de 
Feternite, du temps ? Ces idees, par elles-memes, in- 
spirent a Pimagination une espece de terreur qui rYest pas 
loin du sublime ; elles out quelque chose d'indefini et de 
vaste ou Pimagination se perd ; elles reveittent dans Pesprit 
une multitude innombrable d'idees ; elles portent Fame a 
un recueillement austere, 2 qui lui fait mepriser les objets 
de ses passions comme indignes d'elle, et semble la detacher 
de Punivers. Bossuet tantot s'arrete sur ces idees ; tantot 
a travers 3 une foule de sentimens qui Yentrainent, il nefait 
que prononcer de temps en temps ces mots, et ces mots 
a\or$fo?it frissoner comme les cris interrompus que le voy- 
ageur entend quelquefois pendant la nuit, dans le silence 
des forets, et qui Yavertissent d'un danger qu'il ne connoit 
pas. 

Comme le style lYest que la representation des mouve- 
mens de Fame, son elocution est rapide et forte. II cree 
ses expressions comme ses idees. II force imperieusement 

la langue a le suivre , et au lieu de se plicr a elle, il la 

domine et Yentraine ; elle devient Pesclave de son genie ; 
mais c'est pour acqu'eiir de la grandeur. Lui seul a le 
secret de sa langue ; elle a je ne sais quoi 4 d'antique et de 



1 Que, preceded by mieux, or any comparative, means 6 than.' 

2 Austere, this is one of those words of which we have had occasion 
to speak, in page 13, note 3. Austere means, certainly, < austere,' but, 
in the above phrase, it may be translated by e stern,' or any other epithet 
which would suit the genius of the English language. 

3 A travers, e amidst.' 

4 Je ne sais quoi, literally, * I know not what.' This adverbial ex- 
pression, like coup oVessai, chef-d'oeuvre, and others, has, without any 
use or necessity, crept into the English language. It is frequently used 
by persons who do not pay much attention to the purity of their diction, 



84 



PORTRAITS. 



fier, et d'une nature inculte, mais hardie. Quelquefois il 
attire m6me les choses communes a la hauteur de son arae. 
et les elhve par la vigueur de l'expression ; plus souvent il 
joint une expression familiere a une idee grande, et alors 
il etonne davantage, parcequ'il semble meme au dessus de 
la hauteur de ses pensees. Son style est une suite de tab- 
leaux : on pourroit peindre ses idees, si la peinture etoit 
aussi feconde que son langage : toutes ses 'images sont des 
sensations vives ou terribles ; il les emprunte des objets les 
plus grands de la nature, et presque toujours d'objets en 
mouvement. 

Thomas. 

ROBESPIERRE. 

Robespierre, depute 1 a l'Assemblee Constituante 2 et a 
la Convention Nationale, montra dans Tune les symptomes 
effrayans du caractere et de la politique qu'il devoit de- 
ployed dans T autre. Cest un bien insigne malheur que, 

who cannot draw any distinction between classic language, and pedant- 
ic verbosity. The author would earnestly request the student never to 
transcribe, but always translate, these and similar adverbial phrases. 
The least reflection would show to us, that the above phrase is equiva- 
lent to the English, c a certain indescribable something,' 6 a something,' 
6 something of,' &c. ; as, elle a je ne sais quoi & antique et fier, et 
d'une nature inculte mais hardie, literally, « it has a certain something 
of antique and bold, and of a rough but manly nature ' ; which may be 
said in a more elegant manner, thus : e In his expressions we are struck 
by something antique and bold, by something of a rough but manly 
character.' 

1 Depute, ' deputed,' meaning f elected to.' 

2 L'assemblee constituante, and la convention nationale, were 
the two houses of representatives to which the legislative power of 
France was delegated in the time of the Republic. 

3 QuHl devoit deploy er, c which he was to exhibit.' 



PORTRAITS. 



85 



dans le premiere de ces legislatures, les foibles talens et les 
essais d'audace de Robespierre n'aient attiree sur lui que 1 
le mepris des hommes de genie. Un seul regard de Mira- 
beau eut mesure 2 toute la profondeur de sa sceleratesse. 
Mais Fambition si vaste d'un intrigant, alors si obscur, ne 
fut pas merae soupconnee. 3 

Dans une grande reunion d'hommes, les hommes superi- 
eurs, se tenant ainsi a 1 'apogee de leurs pretentions 4 et de 
leur celebrite, se privent de cette experience dont le genie 
ne se passe point, 5 de cette connoissance du coeur humain 
qu'on acquiert dans la foule et dans la frequentation de tous 
les rangs. Vai rencontre les meilleurs observateurs parmi 
les hommes dont on a le moins parle. Un cle ces hommes, 
aux premiers jours de l'Assemblee Constituante, fut frappe 
de 6 quelques paroles hardies, echappees a Robespierre 7 
dans un moment de familiarite. II suivit, caressa, devina 
le monstre. II concut la possibilite de Vetouffer des sa 
naissance, en l'associant a des hommes d'un grand nom. 
II en entretint Mirabeau, 8 qui d'&daigna le pygmee. D'au- 



1 N'aient attire sur lui que, 6 only brought upon him. 5 

2 Eut mesure, c would have sounded.' 

3 JYe fut pas meme soupgonnee, e was not even suspected.' In 
French the negation e not' is almoist always expressed by ne pas. 

4 Se tenant ainsi a V apogee de leurs pretentions, literally, c keeping 
themselves at the apogee of their claims and reputation ' ; the meaning 
is, * keeping themselves, in the elevation they have attained, aloof from 
the vulgar.' 

5 JVe se passe point, c cannot do without.' 

6 Fut frappe de, ( was struck with.' 

7 Echappees a Robespierre, literally, i escaped to Robespierre ; ' 
meaning, 1 that Robespierre dropped.' 

8 11 en entretint Mirabeau, ' he conversed with Mirabeau about it.' 

8 



86 



PORTRAITS. 



tre part, il essay a de faire craindre a Robespierre 1 les 
suites afTreuses d'un systeme trop populaire ; et celui-ci 
sourit a cette perspective de bouleversemens et de ca- 
lamites. 

Son ambition manquoit de 2 ce ressort qui seul rend 
l'homme independant de la fortune. Un usurpateur sans 
courage succombe infailliblement sous le poids de son en- 
treprise. Cromwell a prouve que le courage supplee a Tex- 
p6rience 3 des armes ; et Cesar, illustre par tant de victoires 
et de triomphes, Cesar, moins resolu que Cromwell, tomba, 
non encore couronne, au pied du Capitole. 

C'est une chose bien etrange que Robespierre, si hardi a 
tous les crimes, n'ait jamais pu se resoudre a monter a 
cheval ; 4 qu'il ait ose de si loin aspirer 5 au pouvoir supreme, 
et qu'il soit reste glace de 6 frayeur devant l'animal le plus 
courageux et le plus necessaire dans les grandes entre- 
prises ; qu'il ait trace et presque execute un systeme de 
depopulation, dont la simple conception suppose le sang-froid 
le plus imperturbable, et qu'apres plusieurs epreuves faites 
au jardin de ^Mousseaux, il ait, timide et tremblant, re- 
nonce a guider les r£nes d'un cheval doux et docile. Et 
a quelle epoque montroit-il tant de foiblesse 1 Lorsqu'il 
exergoit un empire absolue sur le comite de salut public, 
par le comite de salut public sur la convention, par la con- 



1 jy autre •part il essay a de faire craindre a Robespierre, 6 he en- 
deavoured to make Robespierre fear.' 

2 Manquoit de, 6 was destitute of.' 

3 Supplee a V experience, 6 supplies the want of experience.' 

4 A monter a cheval, ( to ride on horse-back.' 

5 QuHl ait ose de si loin aspirer, ( that from such a distance he 
should have dared to aspire.' 

6 De, used in the manner above is always turned into ' with ' or 1 by ' ; 
as, glace de frayeur, ' frozen with fear.' 



PORTRAITS. 



87 



vention sur les armees, et par les armees sur PEurope ; 
lorsqu'enfin, 1 delivre de ses rivaux les plus redoutables, il 
s'annongoit aux Francois comme leur dictateur, par Por- 
gane des clubs, des tribunaux revolutionnaires et des rau- 
nicipaux de Paris. 

Est-ii done vrai que Robespierre regardoit, comme Pin- 
strument necessaire de la revolution, l'instrument des sup- 
plices ; qu'il faisoit dependre* le succes de cette grande 
lutte d'une immense depopulation 1 Est-i\ vrai que la 
destruction de toutes les families attachees a Pancien ordre 
de choses par le regret des places, par le souvenir des 
privileges, par Porgueil de la naissance, fut constamment 
sa grande pensee, et, selon lui, Punique solution du pro- 
bleme de la revolution ? 

Le develloppement rapide de sa politique repond affirma- 
tivement a cette question. II a non seulement dit, " Les 
morts ne reviennent pas," mais il a fait plus que de publier 3 
cette atroce derision. " Tuez" fut, pendant pres d'une 
annee, le mot d ? ordre 4 que regurent de lui les comites, les 
tribunaux revolutionnaires, les gardiens des prisons. Cette 
maxime devint si familiere et si technique, s'il m'est permis 
de parler ainsi, parmi les confidens, les seides, les ministres 
de Robespierre, qu'ils regardoient, aux beaux jours du trium- 
virat, la disapprobation de cette doctrine comme la matiere 
d'un acte d'accusation au tribunal de Fouquier-Tinville. 

II est afFreux de penser que Robespierre pouvoit, sans op- 



1 Lorsqu'enfin, e until at last.' 

2 QuHl faisoit dependre de, literally, c that he made to de- 
pend of ' ; meaning, { that he placed in.' 

3 U a fait plus que de publier, ' he did more than to publish. 5 De, 
in similar occasions is never translated in English. 

4 Le mot d'ordre, ( the word of command.' 



88 



PORTRAITS. 



position, conduire jusqu'a son entier denouement 1 cette 
epouvantable tragedie. L'atrocite de ses desseins ne parat 
a personne 2 un obstacle a leur rapide execution. Les vic- 
times se livroient a lui en silence ; les spectateurs tremblans 
attendoient le m&me sort. La revolution marckoit comme 
Pange exterminateur dans le royaume de Pharaon. En 
dieisant son action, en etendant son theatre, le tyran la 
rendu d'abord moins efficace, et bientot impuissante. Je 
m'explique. Si, moins impatient de regner sans obstacle, 
Robespierre n'eut attaque ses ennemis, ses rivaux et les 
republicans incorruptibles, qu'apres avoir consomme 3 l'he- 
catombe des privilegies des nobles, des ennemis naturels 
de la revolution ; s'il les eut atteints par succession avec la 
prudente addresse de Cacus, le succes auroit couronne sa 
politique sanguinaire. II n'auroit trouve que de 4 foibles 
partis a deiruire ; car il avoit aneanti le plus puissant de 
tons. Mais il grossit lui-mSme l'opposition, en dSvouant 
a-la-fois au fer des bourreaux et les Erostrates, et les 
federalistes, et le parti de Danton, et la faction des intri- 
gans, et le sincere Camille, et le vertueux Phelipeaux, et 
les hommes dont les talens irritoient sa jalousie, et ceux 
dont les vertus lui reproclwient ses attentats. Des-lors les 
obstacles se midtipliercnt dans la proportion des proscrits. 
La ipitiefut generate, et le desir de la vengeance universel. 
Robespierre s'apcrcut trop tard que ses passions avoient 
excede le mesure de sa puissance. 

1 Conduire jusqu'a son entier denouement, ( carry on to the very- 
last scene.' 

2 Personne, means, by itself, ' no body,' 4 no one ' ; as, ne parut a 
personne, ( did not appear to any one,' or, 6 appeared to no one.' 

3 Qu'apres avoir consomme, 6 but after having completed.' 

4 II n'auroit trouve que de, 6 he would only have found.' 



PORTRAITS. 



89 



Cette heureuse faute atteste que son systeme etoit plus 
dans son coeur que dans sa t6te, et qu'il anticipoit sur 1 les 
horribles jouissances de la tyrannie, avant & avoir concentre 
la plenitude de son autorite. 

C'est en abandonnant ses premieres voies, en ouvrant a 
son ambition des voies nouvelles, que Robespierre rendit 
impossible l'execution, jusqu'alors facile, de son plan de 
vandalisme, d'assassinats, et de dissolution sociale. En 
etendant la proscription, il rapprocha en un seul faisceau 
Jes oppositions diverses ; en devouant a Pextermination tout 
le parti Girondin, apres en avoir sacrifie les chefs, il arrna 
contre lui le tiers de la France ; et, nouveau Caligula, ne 
pouvant abattre d'un seul coup toutes les tetes qu'il rncna- 
goit a la fois, il donna le temps a tous ses ennemis de s'unir, 
de combiner leur attaque et de Yatteindre. Les conspira- 
teurs offroient, en efFet, a l'oeil de 1'observateur 2 un etrange 
assemblage. 3 Toutes les opinions fraternissoient ; toutes 
les passions se confondoient en une seule passion, la haine 
du tyran. 4 Nous vimes alors des homines, horriblement 
celebres par leur complicite avec Robespierre, lui reprocher 
sa sanglante victoire sur les Girondins. Nous vimes dans 
tous ses rangs la convention 5 egalement agitee, et, sans 
distinction des c6tes et du centre, s'acharner apres sa vic- 
time, qui fut i osons le dire, 6 arrachee a 7 la froide justice par 
1'impetueuse vengeance. 

1 This sur, is suppressed in English. 

2 A Vceil de Vobservateur, < to an observing eye.' 

3 Un etrange assemblage, < a curious mixture.' 

4 La haine du tyran, 6 hatred of the tyrant.' 

5 Dans tous ses rangs la convention, c every rank in the convention.' 

6 Osons le dire, ' let us be bold enough to say it.' 

7 Arractyfy a, < snatched from,' 1 hurried away from.' 

8* 



90 



PORTRAITS. 



Ceux-la repetent une erreur bien grossiere, qui jugent que 
Robespierre ne fid qu'un 1 monstre sans talens et sans 
caractere : mais ils ne tombent pas dans une moindre erreur, 
ceux qui le representent com me un usurpateur habile, 
comme un Cromwell dont la prudence fat trompee par les 
evenements, dont le genie fut trahi par la fortune. II n'« 
merite ni tant de mepris, hi tant d'estime. Son merite est 
d J avoir 2 prevu la direction que la fortune devoit prendre 
apres 1'infructueuse session de l'assemblee constituante, 
et d'apres cette prevoyance, d'avoir bati son systeme de 
terreur et de mort. Mais ce systeme il ne sut pas en pour- 
suivre l'execution avec cette inebranlable Constance, avec 
cette teuacite de caractere qui brave toutes les difficultes 
que le genie n'a pu prevoir. Une telle entreprise lui inter- 
disoit de regarder en arriere. Celui qui marche, precede 
des bourreaux et du trepas, doit etre inaccessible a la pitie, 
meme a la justice. S'il vacille, il est en danger ; s'il s'ar- 
rete sur des details, il est perdu : ici la celerite fait plus que 
la force. Robespierre tfetoit pas feroce a la maniere de 3 
Marat. Celui-ci obeissoit a son instinct, le premier comptoit 
froidement ses victimes. L'un tfabreuvoit du sang des 
hommes ; l'autre Yaccordoit a la necessite, c 'est-z-dire 4 a 
ses calculs. Le naturel de Marat etoit plus revoltant ; la 
politique de Robespierre plus atroce. 

Personne n'a possede a un plus haut degre Tart dHnfu- 
encer Popinion de la multitude. Personne, dans la revolu- 
tion, ne s'est vu investi d'une aussi imposante popularite. 
SuivonsAe de l'assemblee constituante a la commune, de 



^ Nefut qu'un, e was but.' 

2 Son merite est d'avoir, 6 his merit consists in having.' 

3 A la maniere de, * in the same manner as.' 

4 C'est-a-dire, « that is to say.' 



PORTRAITS. 



91 



la commune aux Jacobins, des Jacobins a la convention. 
Observons avec quelle addresse il sut 1 grossir cette masse 
d'opinions, aveugle autant que docile, 2 par laquelle il executa 
toutes les fatales journees ; avec quel empire il dirigea la 
marche du conseil municipal, de ce conseil qui venoit a la 
barre des legislateurs, tantot 3 pour les siduire par un 
hypocrite devouement, tantot pour opposer la violence et 
Toutrage a Tautorite nationale. Reportons-nous a toutes 
les crises, a tous les evenemens, depuis le 20 juin 1792 
jusqu'au triumvirat 4 de 1793, et voyons comme il eut le 
talent et les moyens d' attacker a sa personne une plebe 
inconstante et seditieuse, de se prevaloir de la loi pour 
etablir la tyrannie, et de comprimer 1'opinion des medians. 

Put-on se meprendre sur la secrete politique de Robes- 
pierre, lorsqu'il parut, simple municipal, 5 a la barre de l'as- 
semblee legislative ? N'y parla-t-i\ pas comme s'il eut ete 
1'organe d'une autorite superieure, comme s'il eut ete le 
delegue du peuple, et comme si les representans du peuple 
n'eussent ete que des municipaux indociles et prevaricateurs 1 

Depute par le corps electoral de Paris a la convention 
nationale, il fut bientot le point central 6 autour duquel 
^agithrent les vrais demagogues et tous les ambitieux cou- 
verts du masque 7 de la demagogie. Depuis long-temps 



1 II sut, 4 he knew how ' * he could. 5 

2 Aveugle autant que docile, ' as blind as they were tractable,' 

3 Tantdt tantdt, e some times some times ' or e at one 

time at another.' 

4 Le triumvirat. This relates to Robespierre, Couthon, and Saint- 
Just, who exercised, for a time, absolute power over France. 

5 Simple municipal, ( a mere city councilman.* 

6 Le point central, * the centre.' 

8 Couvert du masque, ( covered with the mask.' 



PORTRAITS. 



ennemi bruyant de la royaute il la poursuivoit dans la 
tombe. 1 Tout lui en pr6sentoit la fan tome ; etfeignant 
une terreur panique, il sapoit les fondemens de 1' edifice 
qu'avoit eleve l'assemblee constituante. Ne voulant, en 
apparency qu' affranchir Pavenir du retour du despotisme, 
il effaqoit reellement une grande epoque de notre histoire, et 
bientot il n'eut plus ete possible d'assigner les causes, le 
caractere et le but de la revolution de 1789. 

Les Girondins penetrerent les intentions de Robespierre. 
L'imprudent Lou vet Vattaqua de front, et corps a corps. 2 
II perdit son parti, et la liberte resta sans defenseurs. II 
n'opposoit que des talens et du courage a une faction armee 
de la massue populaire. Louvet devoit se souvenir 3 que la 
cause de Caton n'avoit pas ete celle des dieux. 

Louvet ttoit dupe 4 de sa propre vertu. II croyoit tous 
les chefs Girondins purs comme lui-m6me. Tous itoient 
ennemis de l'anarchie et du sang : mais chacun d'eux 
bruloit du desir 5 de la domination, a Pegal de Robespierre. 6 
Vainqueur de la Gironde, le heros des clubs et des com- 
ites revolutionnaires/a^ marcher d'un m^rae pas la ruine des 
royalistes et celle des republicains dont il redoute Penergie. 
Les uns et les autres se reunissent? etonn£s, sur le raeme 
echafaud. 

Ici Robespierre allume la fanatisme de la multitude la 



1 II la poursuivoit dans la tombe, c he pursued it even in the grave.' 

2 De front et corps a corps, * in front and face to face.' 

3 Louvet devoit se souvenir, 1 Louvet should have remembered.' 

4 Louvet etoit dupe, ' Louvet was the dupe.' 

5 BriLloit du desir, ' burnt with the desire.' 

6 A Vegal de Robespierre, ' as much as Robespierre himself.' 

7 Les uns et les autres se reunissent, * they both came together.' 



PORTRAITS. 



93 



plus grossiere : la il presente de loin a la paresse et a la 
brutale intemperance le nivellement des fortunes. 1 II rhgne 
sur toutes les passions par l'organe des comites, par la 
complaisance barbare des tribunaux. 

Voyez comme il Jlatte la cupidite de ces artisans de toutes 
les intrigues, des Cloots, des Ronsin, des Pereire, etc. ; 
comme il fait sourire un brillant avenir aux Hebert, aux 
Chaumette, 2 et a tant d'autres plus fameux encore. Eh 
bien ! 3 cet avenir, cefurent le mort et l'infamie. 4 

Voycz comme il em-ploie ces hommes a tout desorganiser? 
a tout detruire, les mceurs, les lois, les cultes ; ils sont, a. la 
voix du maitre, denonciateurs des grands talens, profana- 
teurs des choses saintes ; il leur dit, " Vous etes mes Ti- 
tans," 6 et il detrone Dieu lui-meme, dans la pensee des 
esprits vulgaires. 

Voyez-le se rendre tout-a-coup lui-mdme l'accusateur de 
ses complices, leur juge et presque leur bourreau, se de- 
clarer le defenseur des cultes, le restaurateur des autels, le 



1 Nivellement des fortunes, 'levelling of fortunes.' 

2 la French the article is used in the plural number before the sur- 
name of distinguished individuals, at the same time that the surname 
itself is in the singular ; as, il fait sourire un brillant avenir aux He- 
bert, aux Chaumette, e he presents to the Heberts and the Chaumettes 
a smiling and brilliant futurity.' 

3 Eli bien, used as above, e yet.' 

4 Ce, is used before the verb etre, in the same manner as 6 it ' is 
used before ' to be.' Yet in French the ee is used whenever etre is 
put before the nominative ; as cet avenir, cefurent la mort et'Vinfamie, 
' this futurity was death and infamy. 9 

5 A used as above, « in order to ' ; as, a tout desorganiser, i to disor- 
ganize every thing. 

6 Titans, 4 Titans,' a race of giants represented in mythology as war- 
ring against heaven. 



94 



PORTRAITS. 



defenseur de la morale publique : voyez-le appeler autour 
do lui les restes epars des factions qu'il a detruites, et 
signaler pour le supplice les complaisans ministres de sa 
tyrannie. Entendez-le enfin affecter dans ses discours la 
justice, la religion et la clemence, lorsqu'il se croit au faite 
du pouvoir. 

Non, cette conduit riest pas celle d'un conspirateur sans 
talent et sans caractere ; elle jut trop precipitee peut-etre. 
Mais ']'ai indique la veritable faute qui fit echouer 1 tant de 
soins et tant d'efforts : heureuse faute ! 

Des siecles innombrables passeront sur ce regne de 
quelque mois, sans en effacer les principaux traits ; et ce- 
pendant, si nous considerons tout ce qu'eut pu produire 
encore de malheurs et de crimes une domination plus 
longue et plus affermie, nous pardonnerons a quelques 
hommes qui preparlrent la chute de Robespierre & avoir 
precedemment travaille & son elevation et seconde ses des- 
seins. Quel qu^ait ete le motif* 2 de leur tardive conju- 
ration, benissons-en le resultat, et publions-lei comme un 
bienfait envers l'humanite et la patrie. 

La posterite aura raison de s'etonner que Robespierre, 
ayant reduit en systeme la depopulation de la France, me- 
connu tous les droits, blesse toutes les affections, force la 
loi de commander le crime, et la justice d'ordonner l'assas- 
sinat, soit arrive a sa catastrophe sans Y avoir prevue, qu'il 
ait baisse le regard 3 devant Techaffaud, et qu'il soit mort 
en lache 4 comme un monstre vulgaire. 

1 Qui fit echouer, 6 which was the cause of the failure of." 

2 Quel qu'ait ete le motif ] * whatever may have been the motive. 9 

3 Qu'il ait baisse le regard, ' that he should have bent down his head.' 

4 Et qu'il soit mort en lache, 4 and that he should have died like a 

coward, 7 



PORTRAITS. 



95 



COUTHON. 

Couthon fut, pour tout 1 observateur attentif, un sujet 
d'etude, de meditation et d'etonnement. Sa personne 
offroit un phenomene plus rare et plus monstrueux que le 
triumvir at dont il faisoit partie. Si jamais 2 la nature com- 
mit une grande erreur, c'est lorsqu'elle donna & Couthon 3 
un regard doux, une bouche riante, une physionomie qui 
sollicitoit les tendres affections et promettoit la bonte. 
Ses yeux vous caressoient ; son silence vous attiroit ; cha- 
cun de ses traits exprimoit un sentiment aimable et vous 
invitoit k V aimer. Eh bien ! dans cet ensemble seduisant 
tout etoit imposture ; dans chaque trait siegoit le mensonge. 
Et si la nature, au lieu de s'etre 6gare, voulut nous ap- 
prendre que le visage est quelquefois un miroir trompeur, 
elle ne pouvoit pas nous instruire de cette utile verite par un 
plus parfait exemple. Jamais physionomie humaine n'cz 
reflechi plus de candeur et n'a voile plus d'atrocite. 

Si vous vous representez cette t&te qui sembloit avoir et6 
compose avec une singuliere predilection, tristement pen- 
chee sur un corps a demi 4 consume par une paralysie pre- 
coce; si vous considerez que son regard, empreint d'une 
douleur habituelle, accusoit en quelque sorte la Providence de 
lui avoir ravi la jeunesse, 5 en le comblant des moyens de la 
passer heureuse, vous anrez une juste idee du vif interet 



1 Pour tout, ' to every.' 

2 Jamais, < never,' used as above * ever ' ; as, si jamais, « if ever.' 

3 Lorsqu'elle donna a Couthon, 6 when she gave Couthon.' The 
preposition a is always expressed in French, though if it immediately pre- 
cedes the person to whom the thing is given, it is suppressed in English, 

4 A demi, ' half.' 

5 Be lui avoir ravi la jeunesse, * of having deprived him of his youth.' 



96 



PORTRAITS. 



que Couthon inspiroit h tout homme sensible qui le voyoit 
pour la premiere fois. 

Cet homme, cependant, montra tant de pente a la 
cruaute, qu'il est permis de croire que le plus grand des 
maux cut ete pour lui 1'impuissance de mal faired et le 
bien supreme, le pouvoir de realiser le voeu de Neron. 
Neron aurait-W, d'une voix plus ironique, et plus mena- 
gante, dicte la loi de sang 1 Si Couthon ent joui plus long- 
temps de son ouvrage, 2 la France rfeut ete bien tot qu'un 
epouvantable charnier. 

Une fatale conformite d'humeurs, de gouts et de carac- 
tere, rdpprotha bientot 3 Couthon, Robespierre et Saint-Just. 
Un seul de ces mauvais genies n'eitt pas con§u un sis- 
teme aussi vaste de destruction que le fat le gouvernement 
revolutionnaire, Les dissemblances ent re ces tyrans nV- 
toient que dans leurs tdtes. La mesure de leur intelligence 
xi* etoit pas h, beaucoup pres le me" me. 4 Saint- Just etoit 
seul doue de quelque genie. Mais leurs coeurs bruloient de 5 
la meme soif et bonillonnoient des memes fureurs. lis aspi- 
roient egalement k regner sur des ruines. Qui pent douter 
qu'ils ne se fussent mutuellement devores un jour ; terme 
ordinaire des associations fortuites des brigands et des 
monstres 1 Je les caracterise ainsi ; Saint-Just etoit le lion, 
Robespierre le tigre, Couthon la panthere. 

Ce dernier avoit ete membre de l'assemblee legislative. 



1 Uimpuissance de malfaire, 'his being unable to commit evil.' 

2 Si Couthon eut joui plus long-temps de son ouvrage, 6 had Cou- 
thon been able to carry on his work for a longer time.' 

3 Rapprocha bientdt, 6 soon brought together.' 

4 JY'etoit pas a beaucoup prhs la ?neme, ' was far from being the 
same.' 

5 De> used as above, ' with. 5 



PORTRAITS. 



97 



Des la premiere seance, 1 un attrait puissant me Jit recher- 
cher une place aupres de lui. Je me plaisois a lui exprimer 
par mes regards et mes attentions combien son etat me 
touchoit. Ce melange de jeunesse, de douceur, d'infirmite, 
ces beaux traits dont la douleur avoit terni l'eclat, mattri- 
soient ma sensibilite. 

Les premieres paroles de Couthon detruisirent tout le 
charme. Son langage ne mentoit pas comme sa physiono- 
mie. II ne proposoit rien 2 qui n'annonc&t un plan irrevo- 
cable, que ne nous pr6sagedt un sinistre avenir. 

II prit une grande part h tous les evenements qui pre- 
parbrent la journee du 20 juin. II Jut un des Archimedes 
qui monierent toutes ces machines d'emeutes, d'insurrec- 
tions, des crises, dont la maison commune etoit en quelque 
sorte l'arsenal. 

Neanmoins Couthon n' opera jamais qu'en seconde ligne. 3 
II se plaqa k cote de Robespierre, n'osant, r^esperant rien 
de plus, et s'estimant a sa juste valeur. 4 Ce chef ombra- 
geux dut craindre Saint- Just, s'il sut le connoitre : mais 
il aima Couthon, autant qu'un tel homme itoit capable 
Maimer. 

Chose bien digne de remarque ! le sentiment qui lioit 
ces trois hommes a Marat etoit une sorte de dedain protec- 
teur qui attiroit sur cet etrange precurseur 5 la haine pub- 

1 JDis la premiere seance, 'from their first meeting.' 

2 Two negatives in French strengthen the negation ; as, il ne pro- 
posoit rien, e he did not propose any thing.' 

3 N'opera jamais qu'en seconde ligne, 4 never acted in any other 
manner than as one of a secondary rank.' 

4 Et s'estimant a sa juste valeur, i and setting a just value upon him- 
self.' 

5 Qui attiroit sur cet etrange precurseur, * which drew upon this 
curious forerunner.' 

9 



98 



PORTRAITS. 



lique, et qui cependant en faisoit une personne sacree. 
Qu'auroient-ils fait de ce dogue apres leur triomphe ? Us 
lui auroient assigne sa retraite parmi leur bourreaux. 

Couthon etoit une sorte de devot au regime de terreur 1 
et de destruction ; de sorte que le sentiment le poussoit 
m&me au-delti du systeme, et qu'il en exagtroit les prin- 
cipes, tandis que 2 Robespierre et Saint-Just s'y tenoient 
renfermes. 3 

Aussi fut-\\, soit aupres des jacobins, soit dans les co- 
mites de gouvernement, le constant et chaud protecteur de 
tous les ennemis des representans du peuple qui, dans les 
departemens avoient pu derober 4 quelques t6tes h la justice 
revolutionnaire. Objet moi-m^me de leurs vengeances, je 
ne souillerai point cet ecrit par ies noms des mes denoncia- 
teurs. Couthon leur avoit promis mon sang a la place de 
celui que je les avois empeches de repandre. Le 9 thermi- 
dor suspendit un moment cette periode de fureurs et de 
crimes. 

De tous les jours horribles d'une si horrible tyrannie, le 
plus douloureux k notre souvenir est celui ou Couthon dicta 
le decret du 24 prairial. Dans Couthon seul se montroient 
les triumvirs. 3 Son ame suffisoit a 6 son propre genie, au 
genie de Robespierre, a celui de Saint-Just. Et tant d'au- 
dace, de ferocite, de brutale soif du sang des hommes, 



1 Devot au regime de terreur, 1 devotee to the dominion of terror. 5 
- 2 Tandis que, ( while,' ( at the same time that.' 

3 S'y tenoit renfermes, ' kept themselves within its boundaries.' 

4 Derober a, 6 to screen from.' 

5 Dans Couthon seul se montroient les triumvirs, 'in Couthon 
alone were seen the triumvirs. 

6 Suffisoit a, ( was sufficient for.' 



PORTRAITS. 



99 



n'epuisa pas son reste de vie. II nous prouvat, dans ce 
funeste jour, que seul il auroit voulu tout le mal qu'ils 
concertoient ensemble. II falloit le voir, apres avoir lu 
chaque article de cette loi de sang chercher d'un ceil mena- 
cant 1 des desapprobateurs. Chacun senloit sur sa tete la 
pointe de Pepee de Damocles. Comment cet 6tre a demi- 
eteint 2 glaca-t-'\\ tant de forts courages 1 Qu'eut-il done 
fait plein de force et de vie ? 

Tel fut cet homme extraordinaire, dont l'histoire, ecrite 
en caracteres de sang, appartient k tous les ages et avertit 
tous les peuples du danger des revolutions. 

SAINT-JUST. 

Une taille moyenne, 3 un corps sain, des proportions qui 
exprimoient la force, 4 une grosse tete, les cheveux epais, le 
teint bilieux, des yeux vifs et petits, le regard dedaigneux, 
des traits reguliers et la physionomie austere, la voix forte 
mais voilee, une teint generale d'anxiete, le sombre accent 
de la preoccupation et de la defiance, une froideur extreme 
dans le ton et dans les manieres ; tel nous parut Saint- 
Just, non encore age de trente ans. 5 

On a beaucoup dit qu'il avoit ordonne la reclusion de sa 
mere, sans doute pour le peindre par un seul trait. 

Qui pent se flatter d 5 avoir sonde toute la profondeur de 
son ame, et, si je puis ainsi parler } toutes les retraites ou 



1 D'un ceil menagant, 4 with a threatening eye. 5 

2 The a in similar occasions is suppressed in English. Cet etre a 
demi-eteint, ( that creature, half broken down.' 

3 Une taille moyenne, e a person of the middle size.' 

4 Qui exprimoient la force, e which bespoke strength.' 

5 Non encore age de trente ans, ( not yet thirty years of age.' 



100 



PORTRAITS. 



se cachoient ses pensees ? Soupconneux, dissimule, tene- 
breux, il sut, sans conseil et sans etude, etre impenetrable 
et garder secret. Son naturel lui en apprit plus dans l'art 
de feindre que vCeut fait la plus longue experience. 

11 ria manque a Saint-Just que & avoir 1 assez vecu, pour 
placer son nom bien au-dessus 2 des noms les plus odieux 
de Phistoire. II se plaignoit de la timidite de ses compa- 
gnons, trop lents h deliberer, trop avares des crimes. 

Doue d'un esprit precoce, d'une reflexion prompte et 
hardie, il ignora le premier age, Page heureux de la vie ; 
la nature lui refusa les epreuves, tantot si douces, quelque- 
fois si ameres, des premieres passions. Son imagination 
etoit sombre, sa memoire facile, son elocution obscure ; son 
style etoit serre, concis, plein d'abstractions et de reti- 
cences. II prenoit autant de soin d'occuper, de fatiguer 
la pensee d'autrui, que de deguiser et de voiler la sienne. 
Cette obscurite etoit pas un vice de son esprit, mais PefFet 
de sa volonte. II sentoit au fond de son arae la necessite 
de cette reserve. Qui ne se fut pas cru en droit de 3 
Yeioitffer, si son ambition et sa politique eussent 6te pene- 
trees 1 II affectoit la brievete de Tacite, dont il avoit fait 
son etude, non pour se nourrir des sentimens 4 de Pauteur, 
mais pour se former k Pecole des monstres dont il nous a 
trace la vie. Dans Saint-Just tout fut premature : le 
genie, les passions, le caractere. Sous la republique, il 
didaigna d'etre un Gracque, aspirant k etre un Catilina. 



1 // n'a manque a Saint- Just que d' 'avoir, ' nothing was wanting to 
Saint-Just, but to have.' 

2 Bien au-dessus, * far above,' c far beyond.' 

3 Qui ne se fut pas cru en droit de, c who would not have consid- 
ered himself right to.' 

4 JYon pour se nourrir des sentimens, c not to imbibe sentiments.' 



PORTRAITS. 



101 



Sous des maitres, il auroit ete plus despote que Richelieu, 
plus cruel que Sejan, mais jamais un Narcisse. C'est pour- 
quoi 1 Saint-Just ne tomba dans aucun des vices vulgaires. 
Son ambition le defendoit de leurs atteintes ; elle absorboit 
son ame toute entiere. 

Jusqu'au proces du roi, Saint-Just lYavoit ete qu'observa- 
teur. II saisit cette epoque pour se faire comioitre, sous 
les rapports du 2 talent, du caractere et des principes. A 
•d'autres egards il Jut d'autant plus impenetrable, qu'ayant 
froidement calcule les^ressources et les vices de cette 
etounante convention, pese le merite des membres les plus 
marquans, apprecie la force des factions qui se formoient 
dans son sein, il avoit juge qu'il seroit facile ftegarer le 
patriotisme des foibles, de seduire la majorite par le rigo- 
risme des vertus republicaines, et tfopposer le peuple lui- 
meme, plus ebloui que flatte d'etre libre, a ses plus dignes, 
a ses plus zeles defenseurs. Ce qu'il crut possible, il le 
resolut. Un naturel invincible, fortifie par Petude et par 
reflexion, Yentrainoit et le placoit, malgre lui, entre la 
tyrannie et Techafaud ; et, pousse par son temperament a 
une politique sanguinaire, il se rangea, plus jaloux que 
complice de Robespierre, dans la faction qui disposoit a 
son gre de l'opinion et de la force. 

Le premier discours de Saint-Just etonna Tassemblee, et 
glaca d'effroi les hommes a qui Texperience du passe inspi- 
roit la prevoyance de l'avenir. II y moritra le caractere le 
plus resolu, une audace imperturbable, une te\te froide, un 
coeur sec. Toute idee de temperament et de prudence 



1 C'est pourquoi, ( it is for this reason that,-' 

§ Pour les faire connoitre, sous les rapports du, < to make himself 
known in regard to J 

9* 



102 



PORTRAITS. 



irritoit son humeur sombre et farouche. Un tel homme ne 
devoit pas arrive?' a la tete de la nation par le sen tier des 
epreuves. II ne Jit que deux pas ; Tun a la tyrannie, l'au- 
tre a l'echafaud. 

Quiconque a ose etudicr de pres 1 ce jeune ambitieux, 
croira sans peine 2 que, superieur aux autres triumvirs par 
!e genie et par l'empire qu'il exergoit sur lui-meme, il mar- 
choit avec eux parcequ'il avoit besoin d'eux ; 3 et qu' arrive 
le dernier au pouvoir, il aspiroit a le posseder entier et sans 
rivaux. 

La chute de Robespierre etoit prevue ; il devoit succomber 
sous son entreprise. Ni l'esprit ni le caractere du tyran ne 
repondoient au plan et a l'execution. Couthon ne preten- 
doit qu'a la seconde place, et n'eut jamais ete qu'un Omar. 
Mais Saint-Just reproduhoit sur la terre Cromwell et Ma- 
homet. 11 possedoit eminemmerit les deux passions qui, 
dans tous les temps, ont conquis la puissance, est-h-dire 
V ambition et le froid courage. La difference dans les 
destinees du prophete et du protecteur a dependu des cir- 
constances et de Tepoque -ou ils ont vecu. 

On ne peat comparer Robespierre a aucun personnage 
celebre par de grandes qualites ou de grands crimes. Pour 
le juger tel qu'il etoit en effet, voyez ce miserable, le 9 
thermidor, depouille de sa longue popularite, pwcourarit en 
desespere les rangs de la convention, 4 implorant la pi tie, 
comme si la pitie lui etoit due, tandis qu'a la tribune, cakne 



1 Etudier de pres, 6 to study closely. 5 

2 Croira sans peine, 8 will easily believe.' 

3 Parcequ'il avoit besoin d?eux, c because he wanted them,* 

4 Parcourant en desespere les rangs de la convention, 'run 
ning in despair through the ranks of the convention.' 



PORTRAITS. 



103 



et fier, Saint-Just demandoit d'etre entendu. Trois fois il 
prof era la premiere phrase de son discours ; trois fois la 
parole \\iifut otee. II conserva sa dignite, en perdant toute 
esperance ; et reprenant sa place, il attendit i sans mur- 
murer, le fatal decret. 

Saint-Just avoit signale de loin les ecueils ou se brisent 
les republiques. II savoit a quel prix on se charge de din- 
ger ou l'opinion publique ou les factions populaires. La 
mort ne Vitonna pas dans la derniere des temp&tes. Pen- 
dant soixante heures, sa derniere heure fat presente a ses 
regards ; x et Ton ne put surprendre la plus legere altera- 
tion dans les traits de ce jeune homme, qui, peu aupar- 
avant, promcnoit la mort 2 sur la convention nationale et sur 
la republique. II n'a pas brave le supplice, il a marche au 
trepas comme a une oeuvre de chaque jour. Pouvez-vous 
maintenant, sans fremir, supposer un tel homme revetu de 
la toute-puissance 3 et vainqueur de tous les partis? 

WASHINGTON. 

Il est des hommes prodigieux 4 qui apparoissent d^inter- 
valle en intervalle, 5 sur la scene du monde, avec le ca- 
ractere de la grandeur et de la domination. Une cause 
inconnue et superieure les envoie, quand il en est temps, 
pour fonder le berceau, 6 ou pour reparer les ruines des 



1 Fut presente a ses regards, • was present in his mind.' 

2 Promenoit la mort, « presented death,' 4 held death over.' 

3 Revetu de la toute-puissance? ' invested with the supreme power.' 

4 II est des hommes prodigieux, f there are some prodigious men ' 

5 DHntervalle, ? from time to time.' 

6 Fonder le berceau, literally, * to establish the cradle ' j used as 
above, * to lay the foundation.' 



104 



PORTRAITS. 



empires. Cest en vain que ces hommes designes d'avance 
se tiennent a l'ecart, 1 ou se confondent dans la foule : 2 la 
main de la fortune les souleve tout-a-coup, et les porte ra- 
pidement d'obstacle en obstacle, et de triomphe en triomphe, 
jusqu'au sommet de la puissance, line sorte d'inspiration 
surnaturelle anime toutes leurs pensees : un mouvement 
irresistible est donne a toutes leurs entreprises. La mul- 
titude les cherche encore au milieu d'elle, 3 et ne les trouve 
plus ; elle leve les yeux en haut, et voit, dans une sphere 
eclatante de lumiere et de gloire, celui qui ne sembloit qu'un 
temeraire 4 aux yeux de l'ignorance et de l'envie. 

Tel est le privilege de grands caracteres : ils semblent 
si peu appartenir aux ages modernes, qu'ils impriment 5 des 
leur vivant meme, 6 je ne sais quoi d'auguste et d'antique 
a tout ce qu'ils 7 osent executer, Leur ouvrage a peine 
acheve, s' attire dejk cette veneration qu'on n'accorde volon- 
tiers qu'aux seuls ouvrages du temps. La revolution ame- 



1 Se tiennent a Vecart, literally, ' keep themselves apart'; it means 
however, ' keep themselves unnoticed.' 

2 Dans lafoule, ' in the crowd.' 

3 Au milieu (Telle, literally, ' amidst it ' ; it should be, « among them- 
selves.' It will be observed that foule, in French, is feminine singu- 
lar ; in English, it is neuter. But as it is a collective noun, it may be 
.ether singular or plural. If used in the plural, it follows of consequence 
that every pronoun and verb agreeing with or relating to it, must also 
he in the plural. 

4 Qui ne semUoit qu'un temeraire* ( him that only appeared rash 
and inconsiderate.' 

5 Qu'ils irimpmenL Imprimer, 1 to imprint,' ' to stam 1 ; used as 
;above, 1 to impress. 9 

6 Des leur vi&ant meme, literally, ' from their living even ' ; this is 
;an idiomatical phrase corresponding to, c from their very infancy.' 

? A tout ce que t * upon every thing which, * 



PORTRAITS. 



105 



ricaine, dont nous sornmes les contemporains, 1 semble en 
effet affermie pour jamais. Washington la commenga par 
l'energie, et Yacheva par la moderation. II sut la maintenir 
en la dirigeant toujours vers la plus grande prosper ite de 
son pays, et ce but est le seul qui puissejustifier, au tribunal 
de l'avenir, des entreprises aussi extraordinaires. 

C'est aux guerriers seuls qu'il appartient de marquer la 
place qu'occupera Washington parmi les capitaines fameux. 
Ses succes parurent avoir plus de solidite que d'eclat, et le 
jugement domina plus que Penthousiasme dans sa maniere 
de commander et de combattre. 

Au milieu de tous les desordres des camps et de tous les 
exces inseparables de la guerre civile, l'humanite se rfrfu- 
gia sous sa tente, et n'en fut jamais repoussee. Dans les 
triomphes et dans l'adversite, il fut toujours tranquille 
comme la sagesse, et simple comme la vertu. Les affec- 
tions douces resterent au fond de son cceur, meme dans ces 
momens ou l'interet de sa propre cause sembloit legitimer 2 
en quelque sorte les lois de la vengeance. 

Les mouvemens d'une ame magnanime, n'en doutons 
point, 3 achevent et maintiennent* les revolutions plus sure- 
ment 5 que les trophees et les victoires. L'estime qu'obtint 
le caractere du general americain contribua plus que ses 
armes a 1'independance de sa patrie. 



1 Dont nous sommes les contemporains ' with which we are coe- 
val' or ' contemporary.' 

2 Legitimer, * to legitimate ' ; used as above, 1 to sanction.' 

3 N'en doutons point, literally, c we must not doubt of it.' This 
phrase should be translated by some adverb of affirmation, such as, * in- 
dubitably,' * unquestionably,' ' without doubt.' 

4 Achevent, et maintiennent, ' terminate and support.' 

5 Plus surement } literally, * more surely ' ; used as above, ' with 
more efficacv.' 



106 



PORTRAITS. 



Sitot 1 que la paix fut signee, il remit au congres tout le 
pouvoir dont il etoit investi. II ne voulut se servir contre 
ses compatriotes egar6s, que des armes de la persuasion. 
S'il rieut ete 2 qu'un ambitieux vulgaire, il eut pu 3 accabler 
la foiblesse de toutes les factions divisees, et lorsque aucune 
constitution riopposoit de barriere a l'audace, 4 il se seroit 
empare du pouvoir, avant que les lois en eussent 5 regie 
l'usage et les limites. Mais ces \o\sfurent provoquees 6 par 
lui-mdrae avec une Constance opiniatre. Cest quand i\fut 
impossible a 7 l'ambition de rien usurper, qu'il accepta, du 
choix de ses concitoyens, l'honneur de les gouverner pen- 
dant sept annees. II avoit fui l'autorite, quand Pexercice 
pouvoit en etre arbitraire ; il n'en voulut porter le fardeau, 8 
que lorsqu'elle/z/tf resserree dans des bornes legitimes. Un 
tel caractere est digne des plus beaux 9 jours de l'antiquite. 
On doute, en rassemblant les traits qui le composent, 10 qu'il 

■l Sitot, the same as aussitdt, 1 as soon as.' 

2 SHI n'eiit ete, e if he had been but.' 

3 H eut pu, e he could have.' 

4 Et lorsque aucune constitution n'opposoit de barriere a Vaudace 
[ and when audacity was not checked by any constitution.' 

5 En eussent i would ' ; better i could have.' 

6 Provoquees, literally, 1 provoked,' i excited ' ; much better, ' cal- 
led/ c demanded.' 

7 A, in cases like the above, is always translated by, ' for ' ; as a 
Vambition de rien usurper, 1 for ambition to usurp any thing.' 

8 II n'en voulut porter le fardeau que, literally, c he did not wish to 
carry the burden of it until ' ; better, ' he did not wish to be encumber- 
ed with it until.' 

$ See what has been said in page I 3, note 3. In that page beaute 
is translated magnificence ; and for the same reasons alleged there, 
beau, above, should be translated e happy,' des plus beaux jours, ' of 
the happiest days.' 

10 Les traits qui le composent, 1 the traits which compose him,' 
might be translated by, 1 the qualities he combines.' 



PORTRAITS. 



107 



ait paru clans notre siecle. On croit reirouver une vie per- 
due de quelques uns de ces hommes illustres dont Plutarque 
a si bien trace le tableau I 1 

Son administration fut douce et ferme au dedans, 2 noble 
et prudente au dehors. II respecta toujours les usages des 
autres peuples, comme il avoit voulu qu'on respectdt les 
droits du peuple americain. Aussi, dans toutes les negocia- 
tions, Fheroi'que simplicite du president des Etats-Unis 
traitoit 3 sans jactance et sans abaissement 4 avec la majeste 
des rois. Ne cherchcz point dans son administration, ces 
pensees que le siecle appelle grandes, et qu'il n'auroit cru 
que temeraires. Ses conceptions fareat plus sages que 
hardies ; il tfentraina point V admiration ; mais il soutint 
toujours l'estime au meme degre, dans les camps et dans le 
senat, au milieu des affaires et dans la solitude. 

Washington n'eut point ces traits fiers et imposans qui 
frappent tous les esprits ; 5 il montra plus d'ordre et de jus- 
tesse 6 que de force et d'elevation dans les idees. II posseda 
sur-tout, dans un degre superieur, cette qualite qu'on croit 
vulgaire, 7 et qui est si rare, cette qualite non moins utile au 
gouvernemeut des Etats, qu'& la conduite de la vie, qui 
donne plus de tranquillite que de mouvement a Tame, et 

1 Dont Plutarque a si bien trace le tableau, e of whom Plutarch has 
so beautifully delineated the picture.' 

2 Au dedans and au dehors, used as above, 1 at home and abroad, 5 or 
4 within and without.' 

3 Traitoit, £ treated,' meaning, i held relation/ 

4 Sans jactance et sans abaissement, literally 6 without boasting,' or 
e meanness ' ; much better, ' without arrogance or submission.' 

5 Ces traits fiers et imposans qui frappent tous les esprits, 6 those 
bold and imposing qualities which strike every mind.' 

6 Justesse, ' exactness,' i accuracy.' 

7 Qu'on croit vulgaire, ' which is considered common,' 



108 



PORTRAITS. 



plus de bonheur que de gloire a ceux qui la possldent ou a 
ceux qui en ressentent les effets : c'est le bon sens dont je 
veux parler ; J le bons sens, dont 2 l'orgueil a trop rejete 3 les 
anciennes regies, et qu'il est temps de rehabiliter 4 dans tous 
ses droits. L'audace detruit, le genie eleve le bon sens 
conserve et perfectionne. Le genie est charge de la gloire 
des empires ; mais le bons sens pent assurer seul et leur 
repos et leur duree. 

Washington etoit ne dans une opulence qu'il avoit no- 
blement accrue, comme les heros de l'antique Rome, au 
milieu des travaux de l'agriculture. duoiqu'il fut ennemi 
d'un vain faste, il vouloit que les moeurs republicaines 
fussent environnees de quelque dignite. Nul de ses com- 
patriotes vCaima plus vivement la liberte ; nul ne craignit 
plus les opinions exagerees de quelques demagogues. Son 
esprit, ami de la regie, s'efoigna constamment de tous les 
exces. II n'osoit insulter a Pexperience des ages ; il ne 
vouloit ni tout changer, ni tout detruire a-la-fois ; il conser- 
voit k cet egard 5 la doctrine des anciens legislateurs. 

Comme eux 6 Washington gouverna par les sentimens et 
par les affections plus que par des ordres et des lois ; comme 
eux, il fut simple au faite 7 des honneurs ; comme eux, il 
resta grande au milieu de la retraite. II d? avoit accepte la 
puissance que pour affermir la prosperite publique ; il ne 



1 Cest le bon sens dontje veux parler, literally, ' it is good sense of 
which I wish to speak.' 

2 This dont refers to anciennes regies. 

3 A trop rejete, literally, c has too much rejected ' ; better, £ neglected. ' 

4 Rehabiliter, 1 to re-establish,' 6 re-instal.' 

5 A cet egard, ' in this respect.' 

6 Comme eux, * like them.' 

7 Au faite, « in the height or pinnacle.' 



PORTRAITS. 



109 



voulutip&s qu'elle lui fut rendue, quandil vit que PAmerique 
etoit heureuse, et rC avoit plus besoin de son devouement. 1 
II voulut jouir avec tranquillity comme les autres citoyens, 
de ce bonheur qu'un grand peuple avoit re$u de lui. Mais 
c'est en vain qu'il abandonna la premiere place : le premier 
nom de PAmerique etoit toujours celui de Washington. 

Quatre ans s^toient ecoules 2 a peine, depuis qu'il avoit 
quitte Padministration. Cet horn me, qui long-temps con- 
duisit des armees, qui fut le chef de treize Etats, vivoit 
sans ambition dans le calme des champs, au milieu de vastes 
domaines, cultives par ses mains, et de nombreux trou- 
peaux, que ses soins avoient multiplies dans les solitudes d'un 
nouveau monde. II marquoit la fin de sa vie par toutes les 
vertus domestiques et patriarcales, apres V avoir illustree 
par toutes les vertus guerrieres et politiques. L'Amerique 
* jetoit un ceil respectueux sur la retraite habitee par son de- 
fen seur ; et de cette retraite ou etoit renfermee tant de 
gloire, 3 sortoient souvent de sages conseils, qui ri 'avoient 
pas moins de force que dans les jours de son autorite : ses 
compatriotes se promettoient encore de Yecouter long-temps ; 
mais la mort Ya tout-a-coup enleve au milieu des occupa- 
tions les plus douces et les plus dignes de la vieillesse. 

Fontanes. 



1 Devouement, « devotion. 5 

2 Quatre ans s'etoient a peine ecoules, e four years had scarcely 
elapsed.' 

3 Ou s'etoit renfermee tant de gloire, literally, c where so much 
glory had been shut up ' ; meaning, 6 was contained.' 

10 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



INVOCATION AU DIEU DE LA NATURE. 

Grand Dieu ! dont la seule presence soutient rharmonie 
des lois de 1'univers ; vous qui, du tr6ne immobile de I'em- 
piree, voyez rouler sous vos pieds toutes les spheres celestes, 
sans choc et sans confusion ; qui, du sein du repos, repro- 
duisez a chaque instant leurs mouvemens immenses, et seul 
regissez dans une paix profonde ce nombre infini de cieux 
et de mondes, rendez enfin le calme a la terre agitee ! 
qu'elle soit dans le silence I 1 Qu'a votre voix la discorde 
et la guerre cessenfi defaire retentir leurs clameurs orgueil- 
leuses ! Dieu de bonte, auteur de tous les etres, vos re- 
gards paternels emb? assent tous les objets de la creation ; 
mais Phomrne est votre etre de choix : vous avez eclaire son 
ame d'un rayon de votre lumiere immortelle ; comblez* vos 
bienfaits en penetrant son cosur d'un trait 4 de votre amour; 
ce sentiment divin se repandant par-tout, reimira les 
nations ennemies ; Fhomme ne craindra plus l'aspect de 
Thomme, le fer homicide n'armera plus sa main ; le feu 

1 Qu'elle soit dans le silence,' let it enjoy silence.' 

2 Qu'a votre voix la discorde et la guerre cessent, c may at your 
voice, discord and war cease.' 

3 Comblez, 6 to heap up ' ; used as above, 4 to crown ' ; as, comblez 
vos bienfaits, 4 crown your benefits. 3 

4 Trait, means, 6 a dart,' ' feature,' 4 action,' or trait ' ; the literal 
translation of, en penetrant son camr d'un trait de votre amour, 
would be 6 by penetrating his heart with an arrow of thy love.' It were 
much better to say, c by infusing into his heart a ray of thy love.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



Ill 



devorant de la guerre nefera plus tarir la source des gene- 
rations ; l'espece humaine maintenant affoiblie, mutilee, 
moissonnee dans sa fleur, germera de nouveau et se multi- 
plier a sans nombre ; la nature accablee sous le poids des 
fleaux, sterile, abandonnee, reprendra bient6t avec une 
nouvelle vie son ancienne fecondite ; et nous, Dieu bienfai- 
teur, nous la seconderons, nous la cultiverons, nous V obser- 
ver ons sans cesse pour vous offrir, a chaque instant, un 
nouveau tribut de reconnoissance et d'admiration. 

Buffon. 

NOTRE INDIFFERENCE AUX DEVOIRS DE LA RELIGION. 

Je m'arrete a vous, mes freres, qui etes ici assembles. 
Je ne parle plus du reste des hommes ; je vous regard 
comme si vous etiez seuls sur la terre : voici 1 la pensee qui 
m'occupe et qui m'Spouvante. Je suppose que o?est ici votre 
derniere heure, et la fin de l'univers ; que les cieux vont 
s'ouviir sur vos t£tes, Jesus-Christ paroitre dans sa gloire 
au milieu de ce temple, et que vous n'y etes assembles que 
pour Vattendre, comme des criminels tremblans, a qui Ton 
va prononcer ou une sentence de grace, 2 ou un arret de 
mort 3 eternelle. Car vous avez' beau 4 vous flatter ; vous 
mourrez tels que 5 vous etes aujourd'hui. Tous ces desirs 

1 Voici, voila, these are expressions used in the manner of demon- 
strative pronouns ; as, voici la pensee qui m'occupe et qui ?ii > epouvante, 
' this is the thought which occupies my attention, and which fills my 
soul with dread.' The student will readily perceive that this sentence 
could not have been translated literally. 

2 Sentence-de grdce, 6 decree of pardon. 5 

3 Arret de mort, 'judgment of death.' 

4 We have already had occasion to translate avoir beau, by, e to be in 
vain • ; as car vous avez beau vous flatter, 6 it is in vain to flatter your- 
selves.' 

5 Tels que, 6 such as.' 



112 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



de changement qui vous amusent, vous amuseront jusqu'au 
lit de la mort : c'est l'experience de tous les siecles. Tout 
ce que vous trouverez aiors en vous de nouveau, sera, pent 
etrc 1 un compte plus grand que celui que vous auriez au- 
jourd'hui a rcndre; et sur 2 ce que vous seriez si Ton venoit 
vous juger dans ce moment, vous pouvez presque decider ce 
qui vous arrivera au sortir de la vie. 

Or, je vous le demande, et je vous le demande frappe de 
terreur, ne separant pas en ce point mon sort du votre, et 
me mettant dans la raeme disposition ou je souhaite que 
vous entriez $ je vous demande done, si Jesus-Christ parois- 
soit dans ce temple, au milieu de cette assemblee, la plus 
auguste de Punivers, pour nous juger, pour faire le terrible 
discernement des boucs et des brebis 3 , croyez-vous que le 
plus grand nombre de tous ceux que nous sommes ici, fut 
place a la droite ?j croyez-vous que les choses du monde 
jussent egales ? croyez-vous qu'il s'y trouvdt seulement dix 
justes, que le Seigneur ne put trouver autrefois en cinq 
villes tout entiere ? je vous le demande ; vous Yignorez, et 
je Y ignore moi-m£me. Vous seul, O mon Dieu ! connois^ 
sez ceux qui vous appartiennent. Mes freres, notre part 4 est 
presque assuree 3 et nous n'y pensons pas. Quand meme, 5 



1 Sera peut-etre, c will perhaps be.' 

2 Sur, means c on ' ; it should, in the above sentence, be translated 
by ' by ' 5 as ? ei sur ce Q ue vous seriez, 1 and by what you would be.' 

3 Pour faire le terrible discernement des boucs et de brebis, c to make 
that terrible selection between the goats and the sheep/ that is, 6 be- 
tween the good and bad.' 

4 Part, means, 4 part,' ' portion ' ; above, it is used in the sense of 
' fate,' ( doom,' { lot ' ; as, notre part est presque assuree, i our lot is 
almost sure,' or 4 we are almost sure of our lot.' 

5 Quand meme dans cette, literally, 4 when even in that ' ,* but it 
must be translated by, € even if in that.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



113 



dans cette terrible separation qui se fera an jour, il ne de- 
vroit y avoir qu'un seul pecheur 1 de cette assemble e du 
cote des reprouves et qu'une voix du ciel viendroit nous en 
assurer dans ce temple, sans le designer, qui de nous ne 
craindroit d'etre le malheureux ? qui de nous ne retomberoit 
d'abord sur sa conscience, pour examiner si ses crimes 
n'ont pas merite ce chatiment ? qui de nous, saisi de fray- 
eur, ne demanderoit pas a Jesus-Christ, comme autrefois les 
apotres : u Seigneur, ne seroit-ce pas moi?" 2 Sommes- 
nous sages, mes chers auditeurs ? Peut-etre que parmi 
tous ceux qui m'entendent, il ne se trouvera pas dix justes ; 
peut-etre s'en trouvera-t-\\ encore moins. Que sais-]e } O 
mon Dieu ! je n'ose regarder d'un ceil fixe 3 les abymes de 
vos jugemens et de votre justice ; peut-etre ne s'en trouve- 
ra-t-il qu'un seul ; et ce danger ne vous touche point, mon 
cher auditeur 1 et vous croytz etre ce seul heureux dans le 
grand nombre qui perira 1 vous, qui avez moins sujet de le 
croire que tout autre ; vous, sur qui seul la sentence de 
mort devroit tomher. Grand Dieu ! que Ton connoU peu 
dans le monde la terreur de votre loi. Mais que conclure 
de ces grandes v^rites 1 cpiWfaut desesperer de son salut 1 
a Dieu ne plaise ; 4 il n'y a que Pimpie, qui, pour se cal- 

1 II n'y devroit avoir quhm seul pecheur, i there were one sinner 
only.* 

a Ne seroit-ce pas moi ; the ce, which comes after seroit, corres- 
ponds with the English neuter pronoun e it.' In making a question of 
that kind, the French use a negation, and put the verb in the condition- 
al, though the meaning be to express present doubt ; the translation 
therefore of the above phrase is — 6 is it I ? I 

3 D\m mil fixe, literally, < of an eye fixed ' ; it means, however, e with 
steady eye.' 

4 A Dieu ne plaise, literally, 4 may it not please God ' ; the corres- 
ponding English sentence is, however, ' God forbid/ 

10* 



114 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



mer 1 sur ses desordres, tdclie ici de conclure en secret que 
tous les hommes periront comme lui ; ce ne doit pas etre la 2 
les fruits de ce discours, mais de vous detromper de cette 
erreur si universelle, qu'on pent fair e ce que tous les autres 
font, et que Fusage est une voie sure ; mais de vous con- 
vaincre que pour se sauver, il faut se distinguer des autres ; 
etre singulier, vivre a part au milieu de monde, et ne pas 
ressembler a la foule. 

Massillon. 

EXORDE DE L'ELOGE DE CATINAT. 

Dans cette foule de genies, celebres en tout genre, que 
la nature sembloit avoir de loin prepares, et muris, 3 pour en 
faire l'ornement d'un seul regne, l'orgueil de nos annales, 
et l'admiration du monde, dans ce siecle resplendissant de 
gloire, dont tous les rayons viennent se confondre 4 et se 
reunir au trone de Louis XIV, '^observe avec etonnement 
un homme qui, prenant sa place au milieu de tous ces 
grands hommes, sans avoir rien qui leur ressemble, et sans 
etre efface par aucun d'eux, forme, seul, avec tout son 
siecle, un contraste frappant, digne de 1'attention des sages 
et des regards de la posterite. Place dans une epoque, 
et chez une nation oQ tout est entraine par Penthousiasme, 



1 Pour se calmer, e to be tranquil,' c easy,' e satisfied,' &e. 

2 Ce la, are particles idiomatically used to make the sentence 
grammatical. For, the translation of ce ne doit pas etre la les fruits de 
ce discours ; should be, c these, however, are not the conclusions to be 
drawn from this discourse.' It is apparent that 'fruits' in English, 
would not be so intelligible as Conclusions,' in the above sentence. 

3 Et muris, literally, c and ripened ' ; better, c and brought to maturi- 
ty.' 

4 Se confondre, « to confound themselves ' ; much better, £ to centre.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



115 



lui seul, dans sa marche tranquille, est constamment guide 
par la raison. Sur un theatre ou Ton se dispute les regards, 
ou Ton brigue a Fenvie 1 la place 2 la plus brillante, il attend 
qu'on A'appelle a la sienne, et la remplit en silence sans 
songer k etre regarde. 3 Quand l'idolatrie vraie ou affectee 
^inspire le monarque est le principe de tous les efforts, 
est dans tous les coeurs ou dans toutes les bouches, il ne 
s'occupe que de la patrie, n'agit que pour elle, et rienparle 
pas. Autour de lui, tout sacrifie plus au moins a Fopinion, 
k la mode, & la cour ; il ne connoit que le devoir, le bien 
public, et sa propre estime ; autour de lui, le bruit, Fosten- 
tation, Fe sprit de rivalite semble inseparables de la gloire 
qu'on ohteint ou qu'on pretend, et se melent a. toute espece 
d'heroisme ; seul il semble, pour ainsi dire, eteindre sa gloire, 
etouffer sa renommee, et ne dissimuler rien tant que 4 ses 
succes et ses avantages, si ce ifest les fautes d'autrui. 5 
Tous les homrnes illustres de son temps sont marques par 
la nature d'un signe particulier et caracteristique qui an- 
nonce d'abord le talent dont elle les a doues ; il semble 
indifFeremment ne pour tout, et suivant le temoignage re- 
marquable qu'un de ses ennemis lui rendoit devant leur 
maitre commun, on pent egalement/im^ de lui un general, 



1 Ou Von brigue a Venvi, ' in which individuals vie with each other 
in soliciting. 5 

2 Place, means 6 place ' ; used as above, it must be translated, by, 
6 situation, 5 e office, 5 6 post. 5 

3 Sans songer a etre regarde, literally, 6 without thinking to be look- 
ed at 5 ; it should be translated, 4 without ever thinking that he is the ob- 
j ect of attention. 5 

4 Tant que, 6 so much as. 5 

5 Si ce n'est les fautes d'autrui, £ unless it be other person 5 s 
faults. 5 



116 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



un ministre, un ambassadeur, un chancelier ; et en effet, il 
paroit en reunir les qualites, sans en exercer les fonctions. 
Enfin, et o/est ce qui le distingue plus que tout le reste, 
par in i tant d' homines rares qui offroient a la grandeur de 
leur monarque le tribut de leur talens, aucun xi'est exempt 
de prejuges, ni de foiblesse ; ces grandes ames sont egarees 
par de grandes passions, ou dominees par les erreurs du 
vulgaire ; seul il possede cette raison superieure, cette inal- 
terable egalite d'ame, cette philosophie, en un mot, si 
etrangere a son siecle, caractere principal qui marque toutes 
les actions, tous les momens de sa vie. Ces traits singu- 
liers 1 et vraiment admirables, dont aucun riest exagere, et 
que Ton petit recueillir dans nos histoires, me frappcnt et 
m'attirent comme 2 malgre moi vers le grand homme, dont 3 
les interpretes de la nation et de la renommee inscrivent 
aujourd'hui le nom dans leur fastes. Ventre, autant que je 
le 4 puis, messieurs, dans vos vues patriotiques, et je presente 
a mes concitoyens l'eloge de Nicholas de Catinat, marechal 
de France et general des armees de Louis XIV. 

La Harpe. 



1 Ces traits singuliers, * these singular traits ' ; 1 these rare quali- 
ties.' 

2 Comme, ' as.' In the sense in which it is used above, it means, * as 
if,' as, m'attirent comme malgre moi vers le grand homme? c attract, 
or 6 carry me as if in spite of myself towards the great man.' 

3 This relative pronoun, dont, has relation to le nom of the third 
line ; dont le nom, c the name of whom,' or { whose name.' 

4 Whenever in elliptical sentences there is a verb understood in a 
manner as above, the ellipsis is not the same in French as in English. 
The sentence, Xentre, autant que je le puis, has the word faire, im- 
plied. In English the sentence would be, ' I enter as far as I can ' ; 
and thus the word c enter,' and not e do,' would be understood. Hence; 
it will invariably be found, that in sentences like the above, the pro- 
noun le is indispensably necessary in French. 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



117 



PERORATION DE L'ELOGE FUNEBRE DE CONDE. 

Jetez les yeux 1 de toutes parts : voila tout ce qu'a pu la 
magnificence et la piete pour Jionorer un heros : des titres, 
des inscriptions, vaines marques de ce qui n'est plus ; des 
figures qui semblent pleurer autour d'un tombeau, et de fra- 
giles images d'une douleur que le temps emporte 2 avec tout 
le reste ; des colonnes qui semblent vouloir porter jusqu'au 
ciel le magnifique temoinage de notre neant : et rien enfin 
ne manque dans tous ces honneurs que celui a. qui on les 
rend. Pleurez done sur ces foibles restes de la vie hu- 
maine, pleurez sur cette triste immortalite que nous donnons 
aux heros, mais approchez en particulier, 6 vous qui courez 
avec tant d'ardeur 3 dans la carriere de la gloire, ames guer- 
riexes et intrepides ! duel autre 4 fut plus digne de vous 



1 Jetez les yeux, c cast your eyes. 5 

2 Emporter, 6 to carry ' ; better, e to sweep away ' ; as, que le temps 
emporte avec tout le reste, ' which, together with every thing else, 
time sweeps away.' 

3 Mais approchez en particulier, 6 vous qui courez avec tant d'ar- 
deur, 8fc, in the translation of languages, many instances will be found 
in which the genius of the two idioms will not agree. Now the sign 
of exclamation, 6, which in French becomes absolutely neccessary in 
sentences like the above, in English would be an improper redundancy. 
Thus the student must, sometimes, endeavour to discover the meaning 
of a sentence, and then render it in the language he translates, with- 
out any regard to the phraseology or particular diction of the original. 
The above sentence should be translated by, 4 but particularly come 
and weep, you, warlike and intrepid souls who, with so much ardour 
follow the career of glory.' 

4 Quel autre, literally, e what other,' (general, warrior, &c. under- 
stood). Still this is an idiomatic sentence, and it should be translated 
by, s who ever was.* 



118 



MORCEAUX OXiATOIRES. 



commander ? Mais dans quel autre avez-vous trouve le 
commandement plus honn&te 1 Pleurez done ce grand 
capitaine, et elites en gemissant : " Voila celui 1 qui nous 
menoit dans les hazards ! Sous lui se sont formes tant de 
renommes capitaines que ses exeinples ont eleves aux pre- 
miers honneurs de la guerre ! Son ombre eut pu encore 
gagner des batailles : et voila que dans son silence son nom 
me^me nous anime ; et ensemble il nous avertit que pour 
trouver a la mort quelques restes de nos travaux, et n'ar- 
river pas sans ressource a notre eternelle demeure, avec le 
roi de la terre, ilfant encore servir le roi du ciel." Servez 
done ce roi immortel et si plein de misericorde, qui vous 
comptera un soupir et un verre d'eau donne en son nom, 
plus que tous les autres ne feront jamais tout votre sang 
repandu ; 2 et commencez a compter le temps de vos utiles 
services, du jour que vous vous serez donnes a un maitre si 
bienfaisant. Et vous, ne viendrez-vous pas a ce triste mon- 
ument, vous, dis-)e qu'il a bien voulu mettre au rang de ses 
amis 1 Tous ensemble, en quelque degre de sa confiance 
qu'il vous ait recus, environnez ce tombeau, versez des 
larmes avec des prieres ; et admirant dans un si grand 
prince une amitie si commode et un commerce si doux, 
conservez le souvenir d'un heros dont la bonte avoit egale le 
courage. Ainsi, puisse-t-W toujours vous etre un cher entre- 
tien ; 3 ainsi, puissiez-vous profit er de ses vertus ; et que sa 
mort, que vous deplorez, vous serve a-la-fois de consolation 

1 Voila celui, ( behold him. 5 

2 Tout votre sang repandu, 1 all the blood you have spilt.' 

3 Entretien, means, 6 maintenance,' c conversation ' ; used as above, 
it is employed in the sense of e occupation ' ; as puisseit-il toujour s- 
vous etre un cher entretien, 6 may always afford a dear occupation 
to you.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



119 



et d'exemple Pour moi, s'il m'est permis, apres tous les 
autres, de venir rendre les derniers devoirs a ce tombeau, 
6 prince, le digne sujet de nos louanges et de nos regrets, 
vous vivrez eternellement dans ma memoire ; votre image 
y sera tracee, non point avec cette audace qui promettoit la 
victoire, je ne veux rien voir en vous de ce que la mort y 
efface : vous aurez dans cette image des traits immortels ; 
je vous y verrai tel que vous ttiez a ce dernier jour, sous la 
main de Dieu, lorsque sa gloire sembla commencer a vous 
apparoitre. C'est la que je vous verrai plus triomphant 
qu'a Fribourg et a Rocroi ; et, ravi d'un si beau triomphe, 
je dirai en action de graces 1 ces belles paroles du bien- 
aime disciple : " La veritable victoire, celle qui met sous 
nos pieds le monde entier, tfest notre foi." Jouissez, 
prince, de cette victoire ; jouissez-en eternellement par 
Pimmortelle vertu de ce sacrifice. Agreez ces derniers 
efforts d'une voix qui vous fat connue. Vous mettrez fin a 
tous ses discours. Au lieu de deplorer la mort des autres, 
grand prince, dorenavant je veux apprendre de vous a ren- 
dre la mienne sainte : heureux si, averti par ces cheveux 
blancs du compte que je dois rendre de mon administration, 
je reserve au troupeau que je dots nourrir de la parole de 
vie, les restes d'une voix qui tombe, et d'une ardeur qui 
s'eteint ! 

Bossuet. 

UN SERGENT ECOSSOIS AUX AMERI CAINS SAUVAGES. 

Heros et patriarches du monde occidental, vous xCetiez 
pas les ennemis que je cherchois ; mais enfin vous avez 

1 Et, ravi d'un si beau triomphe, je dirai en action de graces, \ and, 
enraptured with so great a triumph, my prayer will be. 5 



120 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



vaincu. Le sort de la guerre m'« mis dans vos mains. 
Usez a votre gre 1 du droit de la victoire. Je ne vous le 
dispute pas. Mais puisque (Jest un usage de mon pays 
dioffrir une ran^on pour sa vie, ecoutez une proposition qui 
n'est pas a rcjeter? 

Sachez done, braves Americains que dans le pays ou je 
suis ne, certains hommes ont des connoissances surnatur- 
elles. Un de ces sages, qui m'itoit allie par le sang, me 
domia, quand je me Jis soldat, un charme qui devoit me 
rendre invulnerable. Vous avez vu comme ]'ai echappe a 
tous vos traits : sans cet enchantement, aurois-]e pu sur- 
vivre 3 a tous les coups mortels dont vous m'avez assailli I 4 
Car j'en appelle a votre valeur ; la mienne n'a ni cherche 
le repos, ni fui le danger. C'est moins la vie 5 que je vous 
demande aujourd'hui, que la gloire de vous reveler un se- 
cret important a votre conservation, et de rendre invincible 
la plus vaillante nation du monde. Laissez-moi seulement 
une main libre pour les ceremonies de l'enchantement dont 
je veuxfaire Pepreuve 6 sur moi-meme en votre presence." 

Les Indiens saisirent avec avidite ce discours, qui flattoit 
en m6me temps et 7 leur caractere belliqueux, et leur pen- 



1 Usez a votre gre, 6 use as you please.' 

2 Qui n'est pas a rejeter, ( which is not to be disregarded.' 

3 The genius of the English requires a how to be added to this sen- 
tence ; as, aurois-je pu survivre, c how could I have survived.' 

4 Dont vous m'avez assailli, literally, ' of which you have assailed 
me ' ; much better, 4 with which you have assailed me.' 

5 C'est moins la vie, literally, i it is less the life ' ; better, e it is not 
so much my life.' 

6 Dontje veux faire Vepreuve, ' which I shall try myself.' 

7 Et, which means c and ' when repeated as above means* both 
and,' or { as well as ' ; for example et leur caractere belli- 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



121 



chant pour les merveilles. Apres une courte deliberation, 
ils delihrent un bras au prisonnier. L'Ecossois pria qu'on 
remit son sabre au plus adroit, au plus vigoureux de Fassem- 
blee ; et depouillant son cou, apres V avoir frotte en balbu- 
tiant quelques paroles avec des signes magiques, il cria 
d'une voix haute 1 et d'une air gai : " Voyez rnaintenant, 
sages Indiens, une preuve incontestable de ma bonne foi. 
Vous, guerrier, qui tenez mon arme tranchante, frappez de* 2 
toute votre force : loin de separer ma t6te de mon corps, 
vous n'entamerez pas seulement la peau de mon cou." 

A peine eut-il prononce ces mots, que FIndien decliar- 
geant le coup terrible, j££ sauter a vingt pas 5 la t£te du ser- 
gent. 3 Les sauvages etonnes resterent immobiles, regardant 
le corps sanglant de Fetranger ; puis tournhrent leur re- 
gards sur eux-memes, com me pour se reprocher les uns 
aux autres 4 leur stupide credulite. Cependant admirant la 
ruse qu'avoit employee le prisonnier pour se derober aux 
tourmens 5 en abregeant 6 sa mort, ils accordlrent a son ca- 
davre les honneurs funebres de leur pays. 

Raynal. 



queux et leur penchani pour les merveilles, 'both their warlike charac- 
ter and their inclination for wonders.' 

1 The preposition de, a, or par, and not avec, are frequently used 
after verbs denoting utterance of the human voice, in cases similar to 
the above ; as il cria d'une voix haute, 1 he cried with a loud voice. 5 

2 Frapp er de, < to strike with.' 

3 Fit sauter a vingt pas la t&te du sergent, literally, 1 he made to 
fall at twenty steps the head of the sergeant ' ; but it should be translat- 
ed, ' the head of the sergeant was driven twenty steps from his body.' 

4 Les uns aux autres, < each other.' 

5 Pour se derober aux tourmens, 6 to escape the torments.' 

6 En abregeant, literally, * in abridging ' ; it means, however, ' by 
shortening.' 

11 



122 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



EXORDE DE L'ORAISON FUNEBRE DE LA REINE D'AN- 
GLETERRE. 

Celui qui regne dans les cieux, et de qui rcRvcnt 1 tous 
Jes empires, a qui seul appartient la gloire, la majeste et 
l'ind6pendance, est aussi le seul qui se glorifie de faire la 
loi aux rois, et de leur dormer, quand il lui plait, de grandes 
et de terribles lecons. Soit qu'il 2 eleve les trones, soit qu'il 
les abaisse ; soit qu'il communique sa puissance aux princes, 
soit qu'il la retire a lui-meme, et ne leur laisse que leur 
propre foiblesse il \eux~ apprend? leurs devoirs d'une maniere 
souveraine et digne de lui : car, en leur dormant la puis- 
sance, il leur commande d'en user corame il fait lui-me'me 
pour le bien du monde ; et il leur fait voir, en la retirant, 
que toute leur majeste est empruntee, et que, pour etre assis 
sur le trone, ils n'en sont pas moins 4 sous sa main et sous 
son autorite supreme. C'est ainsi qu'il instruit les princes, 
non seulement par des discours et par des paroles, mais 
encore par des effets et par des exemples. 

Chretiens, que la memoire d'une grande reine, fille, 
femme, mere de rois si puissans, et souveraine de trois 



1 Relever, means, * to rise up again,' ' to recover,' £ get up,' &c. In 
the manner used above it means, however, < to depend '5 as et de qui re- 
invent tous les empires, i and on whom all empires depend.' 

2 Soit que, as above, is used conjunctively, and corresponds to the 
English word, 6 whether.' 

S Jlpprendre, means ■ to teach,' as well as ' to learn.' 

4 Us n'en sont pas moins, 4 they are not less so.' It would be ad- 
visable to change this phrase, and translate, pour etre assis sur le trdne 
ils rten sont pas moins sous sa main et sous son autorite; by, ( and 
though they are seated on their throne, they do not depend the less on 
his hands and on his authority.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



123 



royaumes, appelle de tous cStes a cette triste ceremonie, ce 
discours vous fera parottre un de ces exemples redoutables 
qui etalent auxyeux du monde sa vanite tout entiere. Vous 
verrez, dans une seule vie, toutes les extremites des choses 
humaines ; la felicite sans bornes, aussi bien que 1 les 
miseres ; une longue et paisible jouissance d'une des plus 
nobles couronnes de l'univers ; tout ce que peuvent donner 
de plus glorieux la naissance et la grandeur, accumule sur 
une t£te, qui ensuite est exposee a tous les outrages de la 
fortune ; 2 la bonne cause d'abord suivie de bons succes, et 
depuis des retours soudains, des changemens inouis ; la 
rebellion, long-temps retenue, a la fin tout-a-fait 3 maitresse ; 
nul frein a la licence ; les lois abolies, la majeste violee 
par des attentats jusqu'alors 4 inconnus ; l'usurpation et la 
tyrannie, sous le nom de liberte ; une reine fugitive, qui ne 
trouve aucune retraite dans trois royaumes, et a qui sapropre 
patrie riest plus qu'une triste lieu d'exil ; neuf voyages sur 
mer, entrepris par une princesse, malgre les tempeHes; 
TOcean etonne de se voir traverse tant de fois en des ap- 
pareils si divers, et pour des causes si differens ; un trone 
indignement renverse et miraculeusement retabli : voila les 
enseignemens que Dieu donne aux rois. Ainsi fait-\\ voir 
au monde le neant de ses pompes et de ses grandeurs. Si les 
paroles nous manquent, si les expressions ne repondent pas 
a un sujet si vaste et si releve, 5 les choses parleront assez 



1 Aussi bien que, ( as well as.' 

2 Les outrages de la fortune, * the frowns of fortune. 5 

3 Tout-a-fait, an adverbial expression, corresponding precisely to 
the English * entirely.' 

4 Jusqu'alors, c until that time.' 

5 Et si releve, ' and so exalted.' 



124 



MORCEAUX ORATOlllES. 



d'elles-memes. Le coeur d'une grande reine, autrefois eleve 
par une si longue suite de prosperites, et puis plonge tout- 
a-coup 1 dans un abyme d'amertume, parlera assez haut ; 

il ritst pas permis aux particuliers de faire des lemons 
aux princes sur des evenemens si etranges, un roi me prete 
ses paroles pour leur dire, " JEntendez, 6 grands de la terre ; 
instruisez-YOXts, arbitres du monde ! " 

Mais la sage et religieuse princesse qui fait le sujet de 
ce discours, n'a pas ete seulement un spectacle propose 
aux hommes pour y etudier les conseils de la divine Provi- 
dence, et les fatales revolutions des monarchies, elle s'est 
instruite elle-meme, pendant que Dieu instruisoit les princes 
par son exemple. J'ai deja dit que ce grand Dieu les en- 
seigne, et en leur dormant, et en leur Slant leur puissance. 
La reine dont nous parlous, a egalement entendu deux 
legons si opposees ; &est-k-dire, qu'elle a use chretienne- 
ment de la bonne et de la mauvaise fortune. Dans Tune, 
elle a ete bienfaisante ; dans l'autre, elle s'est montree 
toujours invincible. Tant qu'elle a ete heureuse, 2 elle 
s'enrichit plus que jamais elle-m6me de vertus. Tellement 3 
qu'elle a perdu pour son propre bien cette puissance royale, 
qu'elle avoit pour le bien des autres ; et si ses sujets, si ses 
allies, si PEglise universelle a profite de ses grandeurs, elle- 
meme a su profiter de ses malheurs et de ses disgraces, 
plus qu'elle avoit fait de toute sa gloire. 

Bossuet. 



1 Tout-a-coup, 1 all at once.' 

2 Tant qu'elle a ete heureuse, ' as long as she has been happy.' 

3 Tellement, c so much so,' i in such a manner.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



125 



DISCOURS DE FLAVIEN A THEODOSE. 

L'Empereur Theodose avoit envoye des officiers et des 
troupes a Antioche pour punir cette ville rebelle d'une 
sedition, dans laquelle on avoit renverse les statues de 
Ternpereur, et de l'imperatrice Flaccille, sa femme, qui 
pour lors 1 etoit morte. Flavien, evcque d' Antioche, malgre 
la rigueur de la saison, malgre son extreme vieillesse, et la 
maladie d'une sceur qu'il laissoit mourante, partit sur le 
champ' 2 pour aller implorer le clemence du prince en faveur 
de son peuple. 

Des qu'il parut 3 devant Fempereur, il se tint eloigne, 4 
dans un morne silence, le visage baisse vers la terre, com me 
s'il eut ete charge de tous les crimes de ses compatriotes. 
Theodose le voyant confus et interdit, appro cha lui- 
m^rae, et levant a peine les yeux, le cosur serre de douleur, 
au lieu de s' 'abandonner aux eclats d'un juste courroux, il 
sembloit faire une apologie. Rappelant en peu de mots 
tout ce qu'il avoit fait pour Antioche, il ajoutoit a chaque 
trait : " C'est done ainsi que j'ew merite tant d'outrages. 5; 
Enfin, apres le recit des bienfaits dont il avoit comble cette 
ville ingrate : — " Quelle est done Pinjustice dont ils ont 
pretendu se vcngerl" continua-t-\\ ; " pourquoi, non con- 
tens de m'insultcr, ont-ih porte leur fareur jusque sur les 
morts ? Si yetois coupable k leur egard, 5 pourquoi ontra- 

1 Pour lors, « at that time.' 

2 Sur le champ. It is strange that this adverbial phrase, which, .lit- 
erally translated, means, e on the field,' when employed as above, should 
correspond to the English adverb ' immediately,' £ without delay. 5 

3 Des qu'il parut, ' from the moment in which he appeared.' 

4 U se tint eloigne, * he kept himself at a distance.' 

5 Ji leur egard, ' in regard to them.' 

11* 



126 



MORCEAUX ORAT01RES. 



ger ceux qui ne sont plus, et qui ne les ont jamais offenses ? 
N'cn-je pas donne a leur ville, des marques de preference 
sur toutes les autres de Pempire 1 Je desirois ardemment 1 
de la voir ; j'en parlois sans cesse ; yattendais avec im- 
patience le moment ou je pourrois, en personne, 2 recevoir 
les temoignages de leur affection, et leur en donner de ma 
tendresse." 

Flavien, penetre de ces justes reproches, et poussanft un 
profond soupir, rompit enfin le silence, et d'une voix en- 
trecoupce de sanglots : " Prince," dit-il, " notre ville infor- 
tunee n'a que trop de preuves de votre amour ; et ce qui 
faisoit sa gloire, fait aujourd'hui sa honte et notre douleur. 
Detruiscz-\a en cendres ; faites perir jusqu'& nos enfans 
par le tranchant de Pepee : nous meritons encore de plus 
severes chatimens ; et toute la terre epouvantee de notre 
supplice, 4 avoucra cependant qu'il est au-dessous de notre 
ingratitude. 5 Nous ne sommes meme de']h reduits k ne 
pouvoir etre plus malheureux. Accables de votre disgrace, 6 
nous ne sommes plus qu'un objet d'horreur. Nous avons 
dans votre personne offense Punivers entier ; il s'eleve 
contre nous plus fortement que vous-meme. II ne reste a 
nos maux qu'un remede. lmitez la bonte de Dieu : outrage 
par ses creatures, il leur ouvre les cieux. Vose le dire, 
grand prince, si vous nous pardonnez, nous devrons notre 



1 Je desirois ardemment, ' 1 was very anxious to.' 

2 En personne, 6 by myself.' 

3 Et poussant, ( and heaving.' 

4 Epouvantee de notre supplice, ' terrified at the punishment inflict- 
ed on us.' 

5 Qu'il est au dessous de notre ingratitude, i that it is not equal 
to our ingratitude.' 

6 Accables de votre disgrace, i oppressed by your displeasure.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



127 



salut a votre indulgence; mais vous devrez a notre offense 
l'eclat d'une gloire nouvelle. Nous vous aurons, par notre 
attentat, prepare une couronne plus brillante que celle dont 
Gratien a orne votre tete ; vous ne la tiendrez que de votre 
vertu. On a detruit vos statues : ah ! qu'il vous est facile 1 
d'en retablir qui soieni infiniment plus precieuses ! Ce ne 
scront pas des statues muettes et fragiles, exposees dans 
les places aux caprices et aux injures, ouvrages de la cle- 
mence, et aussi immortelles que la vertu me'me, celles-ci 
seront placees dans tous les coeurs, et vous aurez autant de 
monumens qu'il y a d'hommes sur la terre, et qu'il y en 
aura jamais. Non, les exploits guerriers, les tresors, la 
vaste etendue d'un empire ne procurent pas aux princes un 
honneur aussi pur et aussi durable, que la bonte et la dou- 
ceur. RappeIez-\ous les outrages que des mains seditieuses 
firent aux statues de Constantin, et les conseils de ses 
courtisans qui Yexc'itoient a la vengeance : vous savez que 
ce prince port ant alors la main a son front, leur repondit 
en souriant : i Kassurez-vous, je ne suis point blesse.' On 
a oubiie une grande partie des victoires de cet illustre era- 
pereur ; mais cette parole a survecu a ses trophees ; elle 
sera entendue des siecles a venir ; elle lui meritera a ja- 
mais 2 les eloges et les benedictions de tous les hommes. 
Qu'es^-il besoin 3 de vous mettre sous les yeux des exemples 
etr angers ? U ne faut vous montrer que vous-m^me. 



1 Que, used as above, means * how ' ; as, quHl vous est facile, ' how 
easy it is for you.' 

2 Elle lui meritera a jamais, c it will procure him forever.' 

3 Qu'est-il besoin. Que is used so variously in French, that it 
would be almost impossible to specify all its meanings. Used as above, 
it corresponds with the English adverb ' where ' ; as, ' where is the ne- 
cessity ' ; or, * what necessity is there.' 



128 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



Souvencz-vous de ce soupir genereux que la clemence Jit 
sortir 1 de votre bouche, lorsqu' aux approches 2 de la fete 3 
de Paque, annonganl par un edit, aux criminels leur par- 
don, et aux prisonniers leur delivrance, vous ajoutdtes : ' Clue 
n'aJ-je 4 aussi le pouvoir de ressusciier les morts !' Vous 
pouvez faire aujourd'hui ce miracle ! Antioche n'est plus 
qu'un sepulchre ; ses habitans ne sont plus que des ca- 
davres ; ils sont morts avant le supplice qu'ils out merite : 
vous pouvez, d'un seul mot, leur rendre la vie. Les infi- 
deles s'ecrieront : i Qu'il est grand le Dieu des Chretiens ! 
des hommes, il en sait faire des anges ; il les affranchit de 
la tyrannie de la nature.' 

Ne craignez pas que notre impunite corrompc les autres 
villes ! helas ! notre sort ne pent qu'cffrayer. Tremblans 
sans cesse, regardant chaque nuit comme la derniere, 
chaque jour comme celui de notre supplice, fuyant dans 
les deserts, en proie aux 5 betes feroces, caches dans les 
cavernes, dans les creux des roches, nous donnons au reste 
du monde I'exemple le plus funeste. Detruisez /\ntioche ; 
mais detruisez-la. comme le Tout-puissant detruisit autrefois 
INinive : effacez notre crime par le pardon ; antantissez 



1 Fit sortir, i made come out ' ; * drew ' would be better. 

2 Lorsqu^aux approclies y literally, * when to the approaches ' ; its 
meaning is, however, c at that time near.' 

3 Fete, which means * festival/ is ofted placed as above, before the 
name of the festival itself. In such instances, it may be considered 
redundant, and it should not be translated, as, la fete de Paque, ' Pass- 
over 1 ; la fete de la Penticdte, e Whitsuntide.' 

4 Que n'ai-je, literally, * that I have not ' ; but the que is used to ex- 
press an ejaculation, and the above phrase corresponds to the English, 
■ would that I had,' < O that I had.' 

5 En proie aux, literally, « in prey to the 9 ; but it must be translated 
by, c and becoming a prey to.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



129 



la me moire de notre attentat enfaisant nattre l'amour et la 
reconnoissarice. II est aise de bruler des maisons, ftabat- 
tre 1 des murailles : mais de changer tout-a-coup 2 des re- 
belles en sujets fideles et affectionnes, c'est Peffet d'une 
vertu divine. Quelle conquete une seule parole peut vous 
procurer ! Elle vous gagnera les coeurs de tous les hommes. 
Quelle recompense vous recevrez de PEternel ! il vous tien- 
dra compte non seulement de votre bonte, mais aussi de 
toutes les actions de misericorde que votre exemple produira 
dans la suite 3 des siecles. 

Prince invincible, ne rougissez pas de ceder a une foible 
vieillard, apres avoir resiste aux prieres de vos plus braves 
officiers : ce sera ceder au Souverain des empereurs, qui 
xtfenvoie pour vous presenter l'Evangile, et vous dire de sa 
part : c Si vous ne remettez* pas les offenses commises con- 
tre vous, votre Pere celeste ne vous remettra pas les votres.' 
Pour moi, je vous le proteste, grand prince, si votre juste 
indignation tfappaise, si vous rendez a notre patrie votre 
bienveillance, j'y retournerai avec joie ; j'irai benir avec 
mon peuple la bonte divine, et celebrer la votre. Mais si 
vous ne jitez plus sur Antioche que des regards de colere, 
mon peuple ne sera plus mon peuple ; je ne le reverrai plus : 
]Hrai pleurer jusqu'a mon dernier soupir le malheur d'une 
ville, qui aura rendu implacable, a son egard, 5 le plus hu- 
main et le plus doux de tous les princes." 



1 Abattre, ' to overthrow,' ' beat down. 9 
s Tout a coup, ' all at once.' 

3 Bans la suite, ' in the course,' or « in following.' 

4 Remettre, used as above, means, ' to pardon,' e to forgive.' 

5 A I egard, means, e with regard ' ; a son egard, in the above phrase, 
has relation to Antioche : qui aura rendu implacable, a son egard, 
( that will have brought upon itself the implacable ire of.' It is obvious 
that the above sentence could not have been translated literally. 



130 



MORCEAUX ORATOlRES. 



Pendant le discours de Flavien, l'Empereur avoit fait 
effort sur lui-m&me pour resserrer 1 sa douleur. Enfin, ne 
pouvant plus retenir ces larmes : " P our r ions-nous, dit-i\ 
refuser le pardon a des hommes semblables a nous, apres 
que le Maitre du monde s'etant reduit pour nous a la con- 
dition d'esclave, a bien voulu clemander grace 2 a son Pere 
pour les auteurs de son supplice, qu'il avoit combles de ses 
bienfaits ! " Flavien touche de la plus vive reconnoissance, 3 
demandoit a l'empereur la permission de demeurer h Con- 
stantinople pour celebrer avec lui la fete de Paque : " Allez, 
mon Pere, lui dit Theodose, hdtez-vous de vous montrer 4 & 
votre peuple, rendez le calme a la ville d'Antioche ; elle ne 
sera parfaitement rassuree 5 apres une si violente tempeUe, 
que lorsqu'elle reverra son pilote. Priez Dieu qu'il me 
delivre des guerres dont je suis menace, et vous m'y verrez 
bientSt moi-m£me. 

Le Beau. 

SUR L'ART D'ECRIRE. 

Il s'est trouve, 6 dans tous les temps, des hommes qui 
ont su commander aux autres par la puissance de la parole. 
Ce n'est neanmoins que 7 dans les siecles eclaires 8 que Ton 
a bien ecrit et bien parle. La veritable eloquence suppose 



1 Resserrer, used as above, c to repress.' 

2 Demander grdce, 1 to ask forgiveness.' 

3 Touche de la plus vive reconnoissance, ( touched ' ; or, c actuate d 
by profound feelings of gratitude.' 

4 Hdtez vous de vous montrer, * hasten to show yourself.' 

5 Parfaitement rassuree, ' perfectly calm.' 

6 II s'est trouve, c there have been found.' 

7 Ce n'est neanmoins que, i it is only, however.' 

8 Siecles eclaires, 6 enlightened ages.' 



MORCEAUX ORAT01E.ES. 



131 



Texercise du genie et la culture de Pesprit. Elle est bien 
diff6rente de cette facilite naturelle de parler, qui n'est 
qu'un talent, une qualite, accorde a tous ceux dont les pas- 
sions sont fortes, les organes souples, et l'imagination 
prompte. Ces hommes sentent vivement, ^affectent de 
meme, le marquent 1 fortement au dehors ; et, par une im- 
pression purement 2 mecanique, ils transmettent aux autres 
leur enthousiasme et leurs affections. Cest le corps qui 
parle au corps ; tous les mouvemens, tous les signes, con- 
courent et servent egalement. Clue faut-\\ pour emouvoir 
la multitude et Yentrainer ? que faut-il pour ebranler la 
plupart meme des autres hommes et les persuader ? un ton 
vehement et pathetique, des gestes expressifs et frequens, 
des paroles rapides et sonnantes. 3 Mais pour le petit nom- 
bre de ceux dont la tete est ferme, le gout delicat et le sens 
exquis, et qui comptent pour peu 4 le ton, les gestes 5 et le 
vain son des mots, il faut des choses, des pensees, des rai- 
sons ; ilfaut savoir les presenter, les nuancer, 6 les ordonner : 
il ne siiffit pas def rapper Poreille, 7 d'occuper les yeux ; il 
faut 8 agir sur Tame, et toucher le cceur en parlant a 
Pesprit. 

Le style n'est que Fordre et le mouvement qu'on met 



l S' affect ent de meme, 4 are affected in the same manner.' 
3 Purement, < merely.' 

3 Paroles rapides et sonnantes,' rapid and high sounding words.' 

4 Comptent pour peu, literally, * who reckon for little ' ; meaning, 
'who set little value.' 

5 Les gestes, i gesticulation,' ' attention.' 

* JYuancer, * to shadow,' e to "blend ' ; used as above", 1 to arrange.' 

7 Jl ne suffit pas de frapper Voreille, ( it is not enough to strike,' 
or * tickle the ear.' 

8 II faut, ' we must.* 



132 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



dans ses pensees ; si on les enchaine etroitement, si on les 
serve, le style devient ferme, nerveux et concis ; si on les 
laisse se succeder lentement, et ne sejoindre qu'ei la faveur 1 
des mots, quelque 2 elegans qu'ils soient, le style sera difFus, 
lache, et trainant. 3 

Mais avant de cherclier l'ordre dans lequel on presentera 
ses pensees, il faut s'en Ure fait un autre plus general et 
plus fixe, ou ne doivent entrer que les premieres vues et les 
principales idees : c'est en marquant leur place sur ce pre- 
mier plan, qu'un sujet sera circonscrit 4 et que Ton en con- 
noitra l'etendue ; tfest en se rappelant sans cesse ces pre- 
miers lineamens, 5 qu'on determiner -a 6 les justes intervalles 
qui separeni les idees principales, et qu'il naitra des idees 
accessoires 7 et moyennes qui serviront a les remplir. Par 
la force du genie, on se representera toutes les idees gene- 
rales et particulieres sous leur veritable point de vue ; par 
une grande finesse de discernement, on distingitera 8 les 
pensees steriles des idees fecondes : par la sagacite que 
donne^ la grande habitude d'emre, on sentira d'avance 10 



1 Ala faveur, £ by the means.' 

2 Quelque, used as above, means, f however,' e howsoever ' ; as, 
quelque elegans qu'ils soient, however elegant,' or, * how elegant so- 
ever they may be.' 

3 Diffus, lache, et trainant, < diffuse, feeble, and heavy.' 

4 Qu'un sujet sera circonscrit, 6 that a subject will be limited.' 

5 Ces premiers lineamens, 6 the first features.' 

6 Qu'on determinera, 8 that we can determine.' 

7 Et quHl naitra des idees accessoires, c that accessory ideas will be 
produced.' 

8 On distinguera, 1 will be distinguished ' ; which comes after les 
pensees steriles. 

9 Par la sagacite que donne f < by that sagacity acquired by.' 

10 D'avance, e beforehand.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



133 



quel sera le produit de tous ces operations de Pesprit. 
Pour peu que le sujet soit vaste ou complique, 1 il est bien 
rare qu'on puisse Yembrasser d'un coup d'oeil, 2 ou le peni- 
trer en entier d'un seul et premier effort de genie, et il est 
rare encore qu'apres bien de 3 reflexions on en saisisse tous 
les rapports. 4 On ne pent done trop s'en occuper ; e'est 
meme le seul moyen d'ajfermir, d'etendre et d'elever ses 
pensees. Plus 5 on leur donnera de substance et de force 
par la meditation, plus il sera facile ensuite de les rtaliser 
par Pexpression. 6 

Ce plan if est pas encore le style, mais il en est la base ; 
il le soutient, il le dirige, il regie son mouvement, et le 
soumet a des lois ; sans cela, le meilleur ecrivain s'egare, 
sa plume marche sans guide, et jette a Paventure 7 des traits 
irreguliers 8 et des figures discordantes. Quelque brillantes 
que soient les couleurs qu'il emploie, quelques beautes, 9 qu'il 

1 Pour peu que le sujet soit complique, literally, 6 for little that the 
subject be complicated ' ; it must be translated, however/ if the subject 
is in the least complicated.' The idiomatical expression, pour peu, 
will generally bear the translation of, e in the least.' 

2 D'un coup oVceil, 6 at one glance.' 

3 Bien de, 6 many.' 

4 On en saisisse tous les rapports, * we can seize all the bearings 
and relations.' 

5 Plus, used as above, 4 the more ' ; %s,plus on leur donnera de sub- 
stance et deforce, par la meditation, literally, e the more we shall give 
them substance and force ' ; much better, * the more they become solid 
and energetic by reflection.' 

6 Plusil sera facile ensuite de les realiser par V expression, literally 
' the easier it will then be to realize them by the expression ' ; that is 
* the stronger w r ill be their expression.' 

7 Jeter a Vaventure, • to throw to adventure ' ; that is, * at hazard.' 

8 Traits irrreguliers, 6 irregular strokes.' 

9 Quelques beautes, ' whatever beauties.' 

12 



134 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



seme dans les details, comme Pensemble choquera, ou ne 
se fera pas assez sentir, Pouvrage ne sera point construit ; 
et, en admirant Fesprit de l'auteur, on pourra soupconner 
qu'il manque de genie. C'est par cette raison que ceux qui 
ecrivent mal, que ceux qui s> abandonncnt au premier feu 
de leur imagination, prennent un ton qu'ils ne peuvent sou- 
tenir ; que ceux qui craignent de perdre pensees isolees, 
fugitives, et qui ecrivent en differens temps des morceaux 
detaches, ne les reunissent jamais sans transitions forcees ; 
qu'en un mot, il y a tant d'ouvrages faits de pieces de rap- 
port, 1 et si peu qui soient fondus d'un seul jet. 2 

Cependant tout sujet et un, et quelque vaste qu'il soit, 
il peut etre renferme dans un seul discours : les interrup- 
tions, les repos, les sections ne devroient etre d'usage que 
quand on traite des sujets differens, ou lorsque, ayant at 
parler 6 de choses grandes, epineuses et disparates, 4 la marche 
du genie se trouve interrompue par la multiplicity des 
obstacles et contrainte par la necessite des circonstances ; 
autrement, le grand nombre de divisions, loin de rendre un 
ouvrage plus solide, en detruit l'assemblage ; 5 le livre ^arc?^ 
plus clair aux yeux, mais le dessein de l'auteur demeure 
obscur : il ne peut faire impression sur l'esprit du lecteur, 
il ne peut meme se faire sentir que par la continuite du fil, 
par la dependance harmonique des idees, par un developpe- 
ment successif, une gradation soutenue, un mouvement 
uniforme, que toute interruption detruit ou fait langair.® 



1 Faits de pieces de rapport, litterally, « made ' ; better, 1 patched up 
from loose pieces.' 

2 Fondus d'un seul jet, 1 cast at once.' 

3 Ayant a parler, e having to speak.' 

4 Epineuses et disparates, ' difficult and incoherent/ 

5 En detruit V assemblage, e destroys its union/ 

G Detruit oufait languir, c destroys or. enfeebles/ 



M0RCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



135 



Pourquoi les ouvrages de la nature soraJ-ils 1 si parfaits ? 
c'est que 2 chaque ouvrage est un tout, et qu'elle travailh 
sur un plan eternel dont elle ne s'6carte jamais. 3 Elle pre- 
pare en silence les germes de ses productions ; elle ebauche, 
par un acte unique, la forme primitive de tout etre vivant ; 
elle developpe, elle la perfectionne par un mouvement con- 
tinu et dans un temps present. 4 L'ouvrage etonne, mais 
c'est Vempreinte divine 5 dont il porte les traits 6 qui doit 
nous frapper. L'esprit humain 7 ne pent rien creer } il 
ne produira qu'apres avoir ete feconde par l'experience et 
la meditation ; ses connoissances sont les germes de ses 
productions. Mais s'il imite la nature dans sa marche et 
dans son travail, s'il Relive par la contemplation aux verites 
les plus sublimes, s'il les reunit, s'il les enchame, s'il en 
forme un tout, un systeme par la reflection, il etablira sur 
des fondemens inebranlables, des monumens immortels. 

Q'est faute de plan, c'est pour n'avoir pas assez reflechi 
sur son objet, qu'un homme d'esprit 8 se trouve embarrasse, 
et ne sait par ou commencer a ecrire ; il apergoit a la fois 
un grand nombre d'idees ; et comme il ne les a ni com- 
parees, ni subordonnees, 9 rien ne le determine a preferer 
les unes aux autres ; il demeure done dans la perplexite. 



1 See page 18, note 1, and page 24, note 5. 

2 C'est que, literally, * it is that' ; it means, 6 it is because.' 

3 Ne s'ecarte jamais, 6 never deviates.' 

4 Temps present, ' a certain period.' 

5 Vempreinte divine, 6 the divine stamp.' 
8 II porte les traits, ( it bears the features.' 

7 L'esprit humain, 4 the human mind.' 

8 Homme d'esprit, a man of talents.' 

9 JVt subordonnees, literally, « nor subjugated them ' ; it should be 
translated, « nor mastered them.' ' 



136 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



Mais lorsqu'il se sera fait un plan, lorsqu'une fois il aura 
rassemble et mis en ordre toutes les pensees essentielles a 
son sujet, il s'apercevra aisement 1 de l'instant auquel il doit 
prendre la plume, il sentira le point de maturite de la pro- 
duction de l'esprit, il sera presse de \& faire eclorre? il n'aura 
meme que du plaisir a tcrire ; les idees se succederont 
aisement, et le style sera naturel et facile ; la chaleur naitra 
de ce plaisir, se repandra partout et donnera de la vie a 
chaque expression ; tout s'animera de plus en plus, 3 le ton 
s'ilevera, les objets prendrant de la couleur : 4 et le sen- 
timent, se joignant a la lumiere, V augment era, la portera 
plus loin, la/era passer 5 de ce que Ton a dit a ce qu'on va 
dire, et le style deviendra interessant et lumineux. 

Rien ne s'oppose plus a la chaleur, que le desir de mettre 
partout des traits saillans ; 6 rien riest plus contraire a la 
lumiere qui doit faire un corps, et se repandre uniforme- 
ment dans un ecrit, que ces etincelles qu'on ne tire que par 
force en choquant les mots les uns contre les autres, et qui 
ne nous eblouissent pendant quelques instans que pour nous 
laisser ensuite dans les tenebres. Ce 7 sont des pensees 
qui ne brillent que par l'opposition ; Ton ne presente qu'un 



1 II s'apercevra aisement, e he will easily perceive.' 

2 i7 sera presse de la faire eclorre, literally, c he will be in haste to 
make it open ' ; that is, 4 he will hasten to produce it. 5 

3 Tout s'animera de plus en plus, ( all will become more and more 
animated.' 

4 Les objets prendront de la couleur, literally, ( the objects will take 
colour' ; it means, however, * the objects will become striking.' 

5 La fera passer, literally, ' will make it pass ' ; it should be, * will 
carry it.' 

6 Traits sailla?is, 6 bright touches.' 

7 Ce, is a pronoun equivalent to 6 it,' when preceding a verb in 
the singular ; and to 8 they,' 4 those,' when in the plural. 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



137 



cote de l'objet, on met dans l'ombre toutes les autres faces, 
et, ordinairement, ce cote qu'on choisit est une pointe, un 
angle sur lequel on fait jouer l'esprit avec d'autant plus de 
facilite, qu'on Yeloigne davantage des grandes faces sous 
lesquelles le bons sens a coutume de considerer les choses. 

Rien n'est encore plus oppose a la veritable eloquence 
que Pemploi de ces pensees fines, et la recherche de ces 
idees legeres, deliees, 1 sans consistance, et qui, comme la 
feuille du metal battu, ne prennent de Peclat 2 qu'en perdant 
de la solidite ; aussi, plus on mettra de cet esprit mince et 
brill ant 3 dans un ecrit, moins il aura de nerf, 4 de lumiere, 
de chaleur et de style, a moins que 5 cet esprit ne soit lui- 
merae le fond de sujet, et qui 1'ecrivain rYait pas eu d'autre 
objet que la plaisanterie ; alors Fart de dire de petites 
choses, devient peut-etre plus difficile que Part d'en dire de 
grandes. 6 

Rien rYezt plus oppose au beau naturel que la peine 
qu'on se donne 7 pour exprimer des choses ordinaires : on 
commence d'une maniere singuliere ou pompeuse ; rien ne 



1 Deliees, ' unfolded ' ; used as above, £ loose. 5 

2 JVe prennent de V eclat, ' do not take brightness ' ; much better, ' do 
not become bright.' 

3 Mince et brillant, 4 light and brilliant.' 

4 Moins il aura de nerf, ' the less nerve it will possess.' 

5 A moins que, « unless.' 

6 Que Vart d'en dire de grandes, literally, ' than the art of saying 
great.' The preposition de, is used for the pronoun c one.' 'ones,' or 
1 some,' used before adjectives which precede substantives, therefore, 
that sentence might be translated by, « than the art of saying great 
ones.' 

7 Se donner de la peine, literally, c to give one's self some trouble ' ; 
which corresponds to the English phrase, ' to take trouble '; as, que la 
peine qu'on se donne, ( than the trouble which we take.' 

12* 



J 38 



M0RCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



degrade plus Pecrivain. Loin de \ admirer on le plaint 
d' 'avoir passe tant de temps kfaire de nouvelles combinai- 
sons de syllabes, pour ne rien dire que ce que tout le monde 
dit. Ce defaut est celui des esprits cultives, mais steriles ; 
ils out des mots en abondance, point d'idees ; ils travaillent 
done sur des mots, et tfimaginent avoir combine des idees, 
parce qu'ils ont arrange des phrases, et avoir epure 1 le 
langage quand ils Yont corrumpu en detoumant 2 les accep- 
tions. Ces ecrivains vYont point de style, ou, si Ton veut 3 
ils n'en ont que Pombre. Le style doit graver des pensees ; 
ils ne savent que tracer des paroles. 

Pour bien ecrire, il faut done posseder pleinement son 4 
sujet; llfaut y reflechir assez pour voir clairement Pordre 
de ses pensees, et en former une suite, 5 une chaine con- 
tinue, dont diaque point represente une idee ; et lorsqu'on 
aura pris la plume, il faudra la conduire successivement 
sur ce premier trait, 6 sans lui permeftre de s'en ecarter, 
sans Yappuycr trop inegalement, sans lui donner d'autre 
mouvement que celui qui sera determine par Pespace 
qu'elle doit parcourir. C'est en eel a que consiste la seve- 
rite du style, e'est aussi ce 7 qui en fera l'unite et ce qui 
en rtglera la rapidite, et cela seul aussi suffira pour le 



1 Et avoir epure, 6 and to have refined.' 

2 En detournant, literally, c in turning aside ' ; better, « confounding/ 

3 Si Von veut, literally if one wishes ' ; that is, { if we please.' 

4 Son, refers to the third person, il. In English, speaking in a gen- 
eral manner, we use the pronoun « we.' Therefore son, when used as 
above should be translated by { our.' 

5 JJne suite, e a train.' ♦ 

6 Sur ce premier trait, literally, c on this first feature.' Premier 
trait, however, is used to denote, * the main point.' 

7 C'estaussi ce, « it is also that.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRE3. 



139 



rendre precis et simple, egal et clair, vif et suivi. 1 A cette 
premiere regie, dicte par le genie, si Von joint de la d61ica- 
tesse et du gout, du scrupule sur le choix 2 des expressions, 
de Pattention a ne nommer les choses que par les termes 
les plus generaux, le style aura de la noblesse. 3 Si Ton y 
joint encore de la defiance pour son premier mouvement, 
du mepris pour tout ce qui n'est que brillant, et une re- 
pugnance constante pour l'equivoque et la plaisanterie, 4 le 
style aura de la gravite, il aura m£me de la majeste ; enfin, 
si Ton ecrit comme Ton pense, si Ton est convaincu de ce 
que l'on veut persuader, cette bonne foi avec soi-meme, qui 
fait la bienseance pour les autres 5 et. la verite du style, 6 
lui j era produire tout son effet, pourvu que cette persuasion 
interieure ne se marque pas par un enthousiasme trop fort, 
et qu'il y ait partout plus de candeur que de confiance, 
plus de raison que de chaleur. 

Les regies ne peuvent supplier au 7 genie ; s'il manque, 
elies seront inutiles. Bien ecrire, c'est tout a-la-fois 8 bien 



1 Vif et suivi, e lively and close.' 

2 Scrupule sur le choix, 6 scrupulosity ' ; better, 6 care in the selec- 
tion.' 

3 Le style aura de la noblesse. It is a remarkable fact, that what 
most distinguishes the French frcm the English language, is the man- 
ner of qualifying substantives. In English, it is generally effected by 
an adjective, in French, by saying that such a quality is possessed by 
such a noun. Thus, the above sentence should be translated, the 
style will become noble or majestic which is much better, we think, 
than to say, c the style will possess nobility or majesty.' 

4 U equivoque et la plaisanterie, 6 quibbling and pleasantry.' 

5 Qui fait la bienseance pour les autres, ( which constitutes a ne- 
cessary regard for others. 

6 Verite du style, literally, 4 truth ' ; better, 4 purity of style.' 

7 This au is redundant and should not be translated. 

8 Tout a-la-fois, 1 all at once.' 



140 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



penser, bien sentir et bien rendrc ; c'cst avoir en meme- 
temps de Pesprit, 1 de Tame et du gout. Le style suppose 
la reunion et l'exercice de toutes les facultes intellectu- 
elles ; les idees seules forment le fond du style, l'harmonie 
des paroles n'en est que Paccessoire, 2 et ne depend que de 
la sensibilite des organes : il suffit d'avoir un peu d'oreille 
pour eviter les dissonances 3 3 et de Y avoir exercee, perfec- 
tionnee par la lecture des poetes, 4 et des orateurs, pour que, 
mecaniquement, on soit porte a limitation 5 de la cadence 
poetique et des tours oratoires. Or, 6 jamais l'imitation n'a 
rien cree : aussi, 7 cette harmonie de mots ne fait ni le 
fond, ni le ton du style, et se trouve souvent dans des ecrits 
vides d'idees. 

Le ton riest que la convenance du style a la nature du 
sujet ; il ne doit jamais etre force ; il naitra naturellement 
du fond m&me de la chose, et dependra beaucoup du point 
de generalise auquel on aura porte ses pensees. 8 Si Ton 
s'est eleve aux idees les plus generales, et si l'objet en lui- 
m^me est grand, le ton paroitra s'elever zi la raeme hauteur ; 
et si, en le soutenant a cette elevation, le genie fournit 



1 Esprit, 1 genius.' 

2 JV'en est que Vaccesoire, literally, * it is only the accessory ' ; mean- 
ing, e it is only the superstructure.' 

3 Les dissonances, ( the discordances.* 

4 Par la lecture des poetes, ' by the perusal of the poets.' 

5 Mecaniquement, on soit porte a limitation, ' mechanically we be 
carried, or inclined to imitate.' 

6 Or, used as above * but,' * however.' 

7 Aussi, as above, e thus.' 

8 Du point de generalitc auquel on aura porte ses pensees, literally, 
1 of the point of generality to which we shall have carried our ideas ' ; 
it means, however, * how far we have carried our ideas concerning 
generalities.' 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



141 



assez pour donnex a chaque objet une forte lumiere, si l'on 
pent ajouter la beaute du coloris a l'energie du dessin ; si 
Ton pent, en un mot, representer chaque idee par une image 
vive et bien terminee, et former de chaque suite d'idees 1 
un tableau harmonieux et mouvant, le ton sera non-seule- 
ment eleve, mais sublime. 

Les ouvrages bien ecrits seront les seuls qui passeront a 
la posterite : la quantite des connoissances, la singularity 
des faits, 2 la nouveaute meme des decouvertes ne sont pas 
de surs garans de l'immortalite : 3 si les ouvrages qui les 
contiennent ne roulent que sur 4 de petits objets, s'ils sont 
ecrits sans gout, sans noblesse et sans genie, ils periront, 
parce que les connoissances, les faits et les decoilvertes 
s'enlevent aisement, 5 se transportent et gagnent meme a etre 
mises en ceuvre 6 par des mains plus habiles. Ces choses 
sont hors de l'homme, le style est Fhomme meme ; le style 
ne pent done ni s'enlever, 7 ni se transporter, ni batterer : 



1 Chaque suite dHdees, 4 every chain of ideas.' 

2 La singularity des faits, 4 the singularity, rareness of facts. 9 

3 Surs garans de Vimmortalite, 1 sure pledges of immortality.' 

4 Router, 4 to roll,' 4 to revolve'; with sur, it means, 4 to rest on ' ; as, 
si les ouvrages qui les contiennent ne roulent que sur de-petits objets, 

* if the works that contain them only rest on small objects.' 

5 S'enldvent aisement, 4 are easily taken away.' 

6 Et gagnent meme a etre mises en ceuvre. A etre, literally, * to be ' ; 
but whenever it is used as above, it corresponds to, 'if it,' or, 'they 
are,' or ' were.' Mettre en oeuvre, literally 4 is, 4 put in work ' ; mean- 
ing, 1 to handle.' We might therefore translate the above sentence by, 

* and they even gain, if they are handled by more skilful hands.' 

7 Speaking of se, it was said in page 3, note 10, that it correspond- 
ed to the verb, 4 to be'; we now repeat it, and, ni s'enlever ni se trans- 
porter, should be translated by, 4 neither to be taken away, transported/ 
&c. 



142 



MORCEAUX ORATOIRES. 



s'il est eleve, noble, sublime, Pauteur sera egalement admire 
dans tous les temps, car il n'y a que la verite qui soit dura- 
ble, et meme eternelle. Or 1 un beau style n'est tel en 
effet que par le nombre infini des verites qu'il presente. 
Toutes les beautes intellectuelles qui s'y trouvent, tous les 
rapports dont il est compose, sont autant de verites aussi 
utiles, et peut-etre plus precieuses pour Pesprit humain, que 
celles qui peuvent j aire le fond du sujet. 

Le sublime ne peat se trouver que dans les grands sujets. 
La poesie, Phistoire et la philosophic, ont toutes le meme 
objet, et un tres-grand objet, Phomme et la nature. La 
philosophic decrit et depeint la nature ; la poesie la peint 
et Yembellit : elle peint aussi les homines, elle les agrandit, 
elle les ezagtre, elle cree les heros et les Dieux. L'his- 
toire ne peint que 1' horn me, et le peint tel qu'il est ; ainsi, 
le ton de l'historien ne deviendra sublime que quand Wfera 
le portrait des plus grands hommes, quand il exposera les 
plus grandes actions, les plus grands mouvemens, les plus 
grands revolutions, et partout ailleurs il suffira qu'il soit 
majestueux et grave. Le ton du philosophe pourra devenir 
sublime toutes les fois qu'il 2 parlera des lois de la nature, 
des etres en general, de l'espace, de la matiere, du mouve- 
ment et du temps, de l'ame, de l'esprit humain, 3 des senti- 
mens, des passions ; dans le reste, il suffira qu'il soit noble 
et eleve. Mais le ton de Porateur et du poete, des que le 
sujet est grand doit toujours etre sublime, parce qu'ils sont 
les maitres de joindre a la grandeur de leur sujet autant de 
couleur, autant de mouvement, autant d'illusion qu'il leur 



1 Or, used as above, < besides.* 

2 Toutes les fois qu'il, * whenever he.' 

3 De V esprit humain, « of the human mind.' 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



143 



plait ; et que, devant toujours peindre 1 et toujour s agrandir 
les objets, ils doivent aussi partout employer toute la force, 
et deploy er* toute l'etendue 3 de leur genie. 

Buffon. 



MORCEAUX POETIQUES. 



LA VERTU.4 

i( C'est pour moi que je vis ; je ne dois rien qu'a moi : 
La vertu n'est qu'un nom ; mon plaisir est ma loi." 
Ainsi parle Pimpie, et lui-meme est Pesclave 
De la foi, de Phonneur, de la vertu qu'il brave ; 
Dans ses honteux plaisirs, s 5 il cherche a se cacher, 
Un eternel temoin les lui vient reprocher : 
Son juge est dans son cceur, tribunal ou reside 
Le censeur de Pingrat, du traitre, du perfide. 
Par ses affreux compl6ts nous a-t-il outrages ? 
La peine suit de pres, et nous sommes venges. 
De ses remords secrets, triste et lente victime, 
Jamais un criminel ne s'absout de son crime. 
Sous des lambris dores ce triste ambitieux, 
Vers le Ciel, sans palir, n'ose lever les yeux. 
Suspendu sur sa teHe, un glaive redoutable 
Rend fades tous les mets dont on couvre sa table. 



1 Et que, devant toujours peindre, ' and that, having alw ays to paint. 

2 Deploy er, e to unfold 9 ; better, * to exhibit, 5 c display.' 

3 Vetendue, 6 the extent.' 

4 We shall no longer distinguish the verbs by italic characters. 



144 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



Le cruel repentir est le premier bourreau 
Qui dans un sein coupable enfonce le couteau. 1 
Des chagrins devorans attaches sur Tibere, 
La cour de ses flatteurs veut en vain le distraire. 
Maitre du monde entier, qui peut l'inquieter ? 
Quel juge sur la terre a-t-il a redouter ? 
Cependant il se plaint, il gemit ; et ses vices 
Sont ses accusateurs, ses juges, ses supplices ; 
Toujours ivre de sang, et toujours altere ; 
Enfin, par ses forfaits au desespoir livre, 
Lui-me^me etale aux yeux du senat qu'il outrage, 
De son coeur dechire la deplorable image. 
II perit chaque jour consume de regrets, 
Tyran plus malheureux que ses tristes sujets. 

Ainsi de la vertu les lois sont eternelles. 
Les peuples ni les rois ne peuvent rien contre elles. 
Je l'apporte en naissant, elle est ecrite en moi 
Cette loi qui m'instruit de tout ce que je dois 
A mon pere, a mon fils, a ma femme, a moi-meme. 
A tout heure je lis, dans ce code supreme, 
La loi qui me defend le vol, la trahison, 
Cette loi qui precede et Lycurgue et Solon. 
Avant meme que Rome eut grave douze tables, 
Metius et Tarquin n'etoient pas moins coupables. 
Je veux perdre un rival. Qui me retient le bras ? 
Je le veux, je le puis, et je n'acheve pas : 
Je crains plus de mon coeur le sanglant temoignage, 
Que la severite de tout PAreopage. 



1 Enfoncer, i to sink' ; used as above, e to plunge.' ' Repentance is 
the first executioner who plunges a knife into a guilty bosom.' 



M0RCEAUX FOE'TIQUES. 



145 



La vertu qui n'admet que des sages plaisirs, 
Semble d'un ton trop dur gourmander nos desirs. 
Mais quoique pour la suivre il coute quelques larmes, 
Tout austere qu'elle est, nous admirons ses charmes. 
Jaloux de ses appas, dont il est le temoin, 
Le vice, son rival, la respecte de loin. 
Sous ses nobles couleurs souvent il se deguise, 
Pour consoler du moins Fame qu'il a surprise. 

Adorable vertu, que 1 tes divins attraits 
Dans un cceur qui te perd laissent de longs regrets ! 
De celui qui te hait, ta vue est le supplice. 
Parois : que le mechant te regard et fremisse. 
La richesse, il est vrai, la fortune, te fuit ; 
Mais la paix t'accompagne, et la gloire te suit : 
Et perdant tout pour toi, 1'heureux mortel qui t'aime, 
Sans bien, sans dignites, se suffit a lui-m^me. 
Mais lorsque nous voulons, sans toi nous contenter, 
Importune vertu, pourquoi nous tormenter 1 
Pourquoi par des remords nous rendre miserables ? 
Qui t'a donne ce droit de punir les coupables 7 
Laisse-nous en repos, cesse de nous charmer, 
Et qu'il nous soit permis de ne te point aimer. 
Non, tu seras toujours par ta seule presence 
Ou notre desespoir, ou notre recompense. 

Racine. 

LA FAMINE DE PARIS. 

Mais lorsqu'enfin les eaux de la Seine captive 
Cesserent d'apporter dans ce vaste sejour 

1 Que, as has been observed before, used as above, should be trans- 
lated, 6 how.' 

13 



I4G 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



L'ordinaire tribut des moissons d'alentour ; 

Quand on vit dans Paris la faim pale et cruelle 

Montrant deja la mort qui marchoit apres elle, 1 

Alors on entendit des hurlemens affreux. 

Ge superbe Paris fut plein de malheureux, 

De qui la main tremblante et la voix affoiblie, 

Demandoient vainement le soutien de leur vie. 

Bientot le riche meme, apres de vaines efforts, 

Eprouva la famine au milieu des tresors. 

Ce n'etoient plus ces jeux, ces festins, et ces fetes, 

Ou de myrte et de roses ils courronnoient leurs tetes ; 

Ou, parmi des plaisirs toujours trop peu goutes, 

Les vins les plus parfaits, les mets les plus vantes, 

Sous des lambris dores qu'habite la mollesse, 

De leur gout dedaigneux irritoient la paresse. 

On vit avec effroi tous ces voluptueux, 

Pales, defigures et la mort dans les yeux, 

Perissant de misere au sein de Topulence, 

Detester de leurs biens Pinutile abondance. 

Le vieillard, dont la faim va terminer les jours, 

Voit son fils au berceau, qui perit sans secours. 

Ici meurt dans la rage une famille entiere ; 

Plus loin des malheureux, couches sur la poussiere, 

Se disputoient encor, a leurs derniers momens, 

Les restes odieux des plus vils alimens. 

Ces spectres affames, outrageant la nature, 

Vont au sein des tombeaux chercher leur nourriture. 

Des morts epouvantes les ossemens poudreux, 

Ainsi qu'un noir froment, sont prepares par eux. 



l The student will perceive that famine is here personified ; he is 
perceived to walk before death, and to show her to every mortal. 



MORCEAUX POE'TIOJjES. 



Que n'osent point tenter les extremes miseres ! 
On les voit se nourrir des cendres de leurs peres. 
Ce detestable mets avanca leur repas, 
Et ce repas pour eux fut le dernier trepas. 
Trop heureux, en effet, d'abandonner la vie ! 
D'un ramas d'etrangers la ville etoit remplie ; 
Tigres que nos aieux nourrissoient dans leur sein, 
Plus cruels que la mort, et la guerre et la faim. 
Les uns etoient venus des campagnes Belgiques ; 
Les autres, des rochers et des monts Helvetiques ; 
Barbares, dont la guerre est Funique metier, 
Et, qui vendent leur sang a qui veut le payer. 
De ces nouveaux tyrans les avides cohortes 
Assiegent les maisons, en enfoncent les portes, 
Aux notes effrayes presentent mille morts, 
Non pour leur arracher d'inutiles tresors ; 
Non pour aller ravir, d'une main adultere, 
Une fille eploree a sa tremblante mere : 
De la cruelle faim le besoin consumant, 
Fait expirer en eux tout autre sentiment ; 
Et d'un peu d'alimens la decouverte heureuse 
Etoit l'unique but de leur recherche affreuse. 
II n'est point de tourment, de supplice et d'horreur. 
Que, pour en decouvrir, n'inventat leur fureur. 
Une femme (grand Dieu ! faut^il a la memoire 
Conserver le recit de cette horrible histoire ?) 
Une femme avoit vu, par ces cceurs inhumains, 
Un reste d'alimens arrache de ses mains. 
Des biens que lui ravit la fortune cruelle, 
Un enfant lui restoit, pres de perir comme elle : 
Furieuse, elle approGhe, avec un coutelas, 
De c§ fils innocent qui lui tendoit les bras ; 



148 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



Son enfance, sa voix, sa misere et ses charmes, 

A sa mere en fureur arrachent mille larmes ; 

Elle tourne sur lui son visage effraye, 

Plein d'amour, de regret, de rage, de pitie ; 

Trois fois le fer echappe a sa main defaillante. 

La rage enfin l'emporte, et d'une voix tremblante, 

Detestant son hymen et sa fecondite : 

" Cher et malheureux fils, que mes flancs ont porte," 

Dit-elle, " c'est en vain que tu recus la vie ; 

" Les tyrans ou la faim Tauroient bientot ravie : 

" Et pourquoi vivrois-tu 1 Pour aller dans Paris, 

" Errant et malheureux, pleurer sur ses debris ? 

c< Meurs, avant de sentir mes maux et ta misere 

" Rends-moi le jour, le sang que t'a donne ta mere, 

" Que mon sein malheureux te serve de tombeau, 

u Et que Paris du moins voie un crime nouveau ! " 

En achevant ses mots, furieuse, egaree, 

Dans les flancs de son fils sa main desesperee 

Enfonce, en fremissant, le parricide acier ; 

Porte le corps sanglant aupres de son foyer, 

Et d'un bras, que poussoit sa faim impitoyable. 

Prepare avidement ce repas effroyable. 

Attires par la faim, les farouches soldats, 

Dans ces coupables lieux reviennent sur leurs pas : 

Leur transport est semblable a la cruelle joie 

Des ours et des lions qui fondent sur leur proie ; 

A l'envi Tun de l'autre ils courent en fureur ; 

lis enfoncent la porte. O surprise ! 6 terreur \ 

Pres d'un corps tout sanglant a leurs yeux se presente 

Une femme egaree, et de sang degoutante. 

" Oui, c'est mon propre fils ; oui, monstres inhumains, 

M C'est vous qui dans son sang avez trempe mes mains ; 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



149 



** Que la mere et le fils vous servent de pature : 

w Craignez-vous, plus que moi, d'outrager la nature 1 

m Quelle horreur, a mes yeux, semble vous glacer tous ! 

" Tigres, de tels festins sont prepares pour vous." 

Ce discours insense, que sa rage prononce, 

Est suivi d'un poignard qu'en son cceur elle enfonce. 

De crainte, a ce spectacle, et d'horreur agites, 

Ces monstres confondus courent epouvantes. 

lis n'osent regarder cette maison funeste : 

lis pensent voir tomber sur eux le feu celeste ; 

Et le peuple, effraye de Phorreur de son sort, 

Levoit les mains au Ciel, et demandoit la mort. 

Voltaire, 

LA CAMPAGNE AU LEVER DU SOLEIL. 

Le crepuscule, ami de la saison nouvelle, 

Semble creer aux yeux les beautes qu'il revele ^ 

L'aube, au front argente, fait naitre lentement 

Du reveil matinal Pincertain mouvement, 

Dans Pair qui s'eclaircit, Palouette legere, 

De Paurore au printemps active messagere, 

Du milieu des sillons monte, chante ; et sa voix 

A donne le signal au peuple aile des bois. 

Sous des rameaux en fleurs, le rossignol tranquille. 

Leur permet le plaisir d'une gloire facile ; 

II sait que ses accens doivent rendre a leur tour 

Les echos de la nuit plus doux que ceux du jour. 

Souverain bienfaisant de la celeste voute, 

Et des heures en cercle entoure sur sa route, 

Le soleil a conduit son char etincelant 

Du signe du belier vers le taureau brillant. 

13* 



150 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



L'orient va s'ouvrir : de la seve animee 

S'eleve vers le Dieu Toffrande parfumee. 

Le feu de ses rayons n'entr'ouvre point en cor 

Les nuages voisins qu'il change en vagues d'or ; 

Mais son front se devoile, et soudain la lumiere 

Perce, vole et s'etend sur la nature entiere. 

Elle frappe, elle eclaire et rougit les coteaux, 

Dont la pente blanchit sous de nombreux troupeaux. 

Dans ces chateaux lointains, fermes a sa puissance, 

Des palais du sommeii respectant le silence, 

Elle va sous le chaume, ou }e vieux laboureur 

De ce nouveaux printemps implore la faveur. 

Plus loin il produit dans le foret moins sombre, 

Le mobile combat et du jour et de 1'ombre. 

De l'ceil a cet eclat semblent se rapprocher 

La cascade bleuatre et Thumide rocher ; 

Et, d'un brouillard qui fuit, la montagne entouree, 

Reparoit sous Tazur dont elle est coloree. 

La riviere a 1'aspect du globe lumineux, 

Sans abri, solitaire, en recoit tous les feux : 

Elle etincelle au loin ; et son onde plus belfe 

Semble s'enorgueillir de sa beaute nouvelle. 

Les rayons divises en mobiles reseaux, 

Roulent en 1 nappes d'or sur l'argent de ses eaux ; 

Son eclat vacillant se prolonge ; et ma vue 

Suit des flots radieux Pincertaine etendue, 

Jusqu'aux lieux ou le bois, par d'obliques retours, 

Ombrage, rembrunit, me derobe leur cours 



i We have had frequent occasions to observe, that en, in cases as 
above should be translated, ' like.' 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



151 



Et ferme a mes regards cette scene champetre, 

Ou comme aux champs d'Eden, rhomme semble renaitre, 

Et seul sait contempler dans le recueillement ; 

Ce passage si doux du calme au mouvement, 

Cette aimable union, celeste hymenee, 

De l'aurore du jour, du matin de l'annee. 

Boisjolin. 

LE RECIT DE MITHRIDATE. 

Approcihez, mes enfans. Enfin l'heure est venue 
Qu'il faut que mon secret eclate a votre vue : 
A mes nobles projets je vois tout conspirer ; 
II ne me reste plus qu'a vous les declarer. 

Je fuis : ainsi le veut la fortune ennemie. 
Mais vous savez trop bien l'histoire de ma vie 
Pour croire que long-temps, soigneux de me cacher, 
J'attende en ces deserts qu'on me vienne chercher. 
La guerre ses faveurs ainsi que ses disgraces : 
Deja plus d'une fois, retournant sur mes traces, 
Tandis que 1'ennemi, par ma fuite trompe, 
Tenoit apres son char un vain peuple occupe, 
Et gravant en airain ses freles avantages, 
De mes etats conquis enchainoit les images, 
Le Bosphore m'a vu, par de nouveaux apprets, 
Ramener la terreur du fond de ses marais, 
Et chassant les Romains de l'Asie etonnee, 
Renverser en un jour Fouvrage d'une annee 
D'autres temps, d'autres soins. L'Orient accable 
Ne peut plus soutenir leur effort redouble ; 
II voit plus que jamais ses campagnes couvertes 
De Romains que la guerre enrichit de nos pertes. 



152 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



Des biens des nations ravisseurs alteres, 
Le bruit de nos tresors les a tous attires ; 
lis y courent en foule, et jaloux Tun de l'autre, 
Desertent leur pays pour inonder le notre. 
Moi seul je leur resiste : ou lasses, ou soumis, 
Ma funeste amitie pese a tous mes amis ; 
Chacun a ce fardeau veut derober sa tete. 
Le grand nom de Pompee assure sa conquete ; 
C'est Peffroi de l'Asie ; et loin de Fy chercher, 
C'est a Rome, mes fils, que je pretends marcher. 

Ce dessein vous surprend ; et vous croyez peut-etre 
due le seul desespoir aujourd'hui le fait naitre. 
J'excuse votre erreur : et, pour etre approves, 
De semblables projets veulent etre acheves. 
Ne vous figurez point que de cette contree 
Par d'eternels remparts Rome soit separee : 
Je sais tous les chemins par ou je dois passer ; 
Et, si la mort bientot ne me vient traverser, 
Sans reculer plus loin l'effet de ma parole, 
Je vous rends dans trois mois au pied du Capitole. 
Doutez-vous que l'Euxin ne me porte en deux jours 
Au lieux ou le Danube y vient finir son cours 1 
Que du Scythe avec moi Palliance juree 
De l'Europe, en ces lieux ne me livre l'entree ? 
Recueilli dans leurs ports, accru de leurs soldats, 
Nous verrons notre camp grossir a chaque pas. 
Daces, Pannoniens, la fiere Germanie, 
Tous n'attendent qu'un chef contre la tyrannie : 
Vous avez vu l'Espagne, et sur-tout les Gaulois, 
Contre ces memes murs qu'ils ont pris autrefois 
Exciter ma vengeance, et, jusque dans la Grece, 
Par des ambassadeurs accuser ma paresse : 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQJJES. 



153 



lis savent que, sur eux pret a se deborder, 
Ce torrent, s'il m'entraine, ira tout inonder ; 
Et vous les verrez tous, prevenant son ravage, 
Guider dans PItalie et suivre mon passage. 

C'est la qu'en arrivant, plus qu'en tout le chemin, 
Vous trouverez par-tout Phorreur du nom Romain, 
Et la triste Italie encor toute fumante 
Des feux qu'a rallumes sa liberte mourante. 
Non, princes, ce n'est point au bout de Punivers 
Que Rome fait sentir tout le poids de ses fers : 
Et de pres inspirant les haines les plus fortes, 
Tes plus grands ennemis, Rome, sont a tes portes. 
Ah ! s'il ont pu choisir pour leur liberateur 
Spartacus, un esclave, un vile gladiateur ; 
S'ils suivent au combat des brigands qui les vengent ; 
De quelle noble ardeur pensez vous qu'ils se rangent 
Sous les drapeaux d'un roi long-temps victorieux, 
Qui voit jusqu'a Cyrus remonter ses ai'eux ? 
Que dis-je 7 en quel etat croyez-vous la surprendre 1 
Vide de legions qui la puissent defendre, 
Tandis que tout s'occupe a me persecuter, 
Leurs femmes, leurs enfans pourront-ils m'arreter ? 
Marchons, et dans son sein rejetons cette guerre 
Que sa fureur envoie aux deux bouts de la terre ; 
Attaquons dans leurs murs ces conquerants si fiers ; 
Qu'ils tremblent a leur tour pour leurs propres foyers. 
Annibal Pa predit, croyons-en ce grand homme : 
Jamais on ne vaincra les Romains que dans Rome, 
Noyons-la dans son sang justement repandu : 
Brulons ce Capitole ou j'etois attendu : 
Detruisons ses honneurs, et faisons disparoitre 
La honte de cent rois, et la mienne peu t-etre ; 



154 



MORCEAUX POE'tIQUES. 



Et la flamme a la main, effa^ons tous ces noms 
Que Rome y consacroit a d'eternels affronts. 

Voila Pambition dont mon ame est saisie. 
Ne croyez point pourtant qu'eloigne de PAsie, 
J'en laisse les Romans tranquilles possesseurs : 
Je sais ou je lui dois trouver des defenseurs ; 
Je veux que, d'ennemis par-tout envelloppee, 
Rome rappelle en vain les secours de Pomp6e. 
Le Parthe, des Romains comme moi la terreur, 
Consent de succeder & ma juste fureur ; 
Pret d'unir avec moi sa haine et sa famille, 
II me demande un fils pour epoux k sa fille. 
Cet honneur vous regarde, et j'ai fait choix de vous, 
Pharnace : allez, soyez ce bienheureux epoux. 
Demain, sans differer, je pretends que l'aurore 
Decouvre mes vaisseaux deja loin du Bosphore : 
Vous, qui rien n'y retient, partez des ce moment, 
Et meritez mon choix par votre empressement : 
Achevez cet hymen ; et, repassant PEuphrate, 
Faites voir a PAsie un autre Mithridate. 
due nos tyrans communs en palissent d'effroi ; 
Et que le bruit a Rome en vienne jusqu'a moi. 

Racine. 

LE RECIT DE THERAMENE. 

A peine nous sortions des portes de Trezene, 
II etoit sur son char : ses gardes affliges 
Imitoient son silence, autour de lui ranges : 
II suivoit tout pensif le chemin de Mycenes ; 
Sa main sur les chevaux laissoit flotter les renes : 
Ses superbes coursiers, qu'on voyoit autrefois 
PJeins d'une ardeur si noble obeir a sa voix, 



MORCEAUX POE'TiqUES. 



155 



L'oeil morne mainteriant et la tete baissee, 

Sembloient se conformer a sa triste pensee. 

Un effroyable cri, sorti du fond des flots, 

Des airs en ce moment a tronble le repos : 

Et du sein de la terre une voix formidable 

Repond en gemissant & ce cri redoutable. 

Jusqu'au fond de nos coeur notre sang s'est glace : 

Des coursiers attentifs le crin s'est herisse. 

Cependant sur le dos ds la^plaine liquide 

S'eleve a gros bouillons une montagne humide : 

L'onde approche, se brise, et vomit a nos yeux, 

Parmi des flots d'ecume, un monstre furieux. 

Son front large est arme de cornes menacantes ; 

Tout son corps est couvert d'ecailles jaunissantes ; 

Indomtable taureau, dragon impetueux, 

Sa croupe se recourbe en replis tortueux ; 

Ses longs mugissements font trembler le rivage, 

Le ciel avec horreur voit ce monstre sauvage : 

La terre s'en emeut, Pair en est infecte, 

Le flot qui Tapporta recule epouvante. 

Tout fuit ; et sans s'armer d'un courage inutile, 

Dans le temple voisin chacun cherche un asyle. 

Hippolyte lui seul, digne fils d'un heros, 

Arrete ses coursiers, saisit ses javelots, 

Pousse au monstre, et d'un dard lance d'une main sure, 

11 lui fait dans le flanc une large blessure. 

De rage et de douleur le monstre bondissant 

Vient aux pieds des chevaux tomber en mugissant : 

Se roule, et leur presente une gueule enflammee 

Qui les couvre de feu, de sang, et de fumee. 

La frayeur les emporte ; et sourds h cette fois, 

lis ne connoissent plus ni le frein ni la voix ; 



156 



MORCEAUX POe'tIQUES. 



En efforts impuissans leur maitre se consume ; 

lis rougissent le mort d'une sanglante ecume. 

On dit qu'on a vu raeme, en ce desordre affreux, 

Un dieu qui d'aiguillons pressoit leur flanc poudreux. 

A travers les rochers la peur les precipite ; 

L'aissieu crie et se rompt ; l'intrepide Hippolyte 

Voit voler en eclats tout son char fracasse ; 

Dans les renes lui-mcme il tombe embarrasse. 

Excusez ma douleur ; cettre image cruelle 

Sera pour moi de pleurs une source eternelle : 

J'ai vu, seigneur, j'ai vu votre malheureux fils, 

Traine par les chevaux que sa main a nourris. 

II veut les rappeler, et sa voix les effraie ; 

Us courent ; tout son corps n'est bientot qu'une plaie. 

De nos cris douloureux la plaine retentit. 

Leur fougue impetueuse enfin se ralentit : 

lis s'arretent non loin de ces tombeaux antiques 

Ou des rois ses aieux sont les froides reliques. 

J'y cours en soupirant, et sa garde me suit : 

De son genereux sang la trace nous conduit ; 

Les rochers en sont teints; les ronces degouttantes 

Portent de ses cheveux les depouilles sanglantes, 

J'arrive, je l'appelle ; et me tendant la main, 

II ouvre un ceil mourant qu'il renferme soudain : 

" Le ciel," dit-il, " m'arrache une innocente vie. 

" Prends soin apres ma mort de la triste Aricie. 

ft Cher ami, si mon pere un jour desabuse j 

a Plaint le malheur d'un fils faussement accuse 

" Pour appaiser mon sang et mon ombre plaintive, 

" Dis-lui qu'avec douceur il traite sa captive ; 

44 Qu'il lui rende . . . " A ce mot ce h6ros expire 

N'a laisse dans mes bras qu'un corps defigure : 



MORCEAUX POE'TiqtJES. 



157 



Triste objet ou des dieux triomphe la colere, 
Et que meconoitroit Feed meme de son pere. 

Racine. 

LE RECIT DE CREON. 

Vous avez vu, madame, avec quelle furie 
Les deux princes sortoient pour s'arracher la vie ; 
Que d'une ardeur egale ils fuyoient de ces lieux. 
Et que jamais leurs coeurs ne s'accorderent mieux. 
La soif de se baigner dans le sang de leur frere 
Faisoit ce que jamais le sang n'avoit su faire : 
Par l'exces de leur haine ils sembloient reunis, 
Et pres a s'egorger, ils parroissoient amis. 
Ils ont choisi d'abord pour leur champ de bataille, 
Un lieu pres des deux camps, au pied de la muraille. 
C'est la que, reprenant leur premiere fureur, 
lis commencent enfin ce combat plein d'horreur. 
D'un geste menacant, d'un oeil brulant de rage, 
Dans le sein Tun de l'autre ils cherchent un passage ; 
Et, la seule fureur precipitant leur bras, 
Tous deux semblent courir au-devant du trepas. 
— Mon fils, qui de douleur en soupiroit dans Tame, 
Et qui se souvenoit de vos ordres, madame, 
Se jette au milieu d'eux, et meprise pour vous 
Leurs ordres absolus qui nous arretoient tous. 
II leur retient le bras, les repousse, les prie, 
Et, pour les separer, s'expose a leur furie : 
Mais il s'efforce en vain d'en arr^ter le cours ; 
Et ces deux furieux se rapprochent toujours, 
II tient ferme pourtant, et ne perd point courage ; 
De mille coups mortels il detourne 1'orage, 
14 



158 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



Jusqu'a ce que du roi le fer trop rigoureux, 

Soit qu'il cherchat son frere, ou ce fils malheureux, 

Le renverse a ses pieds, pr£t a rendre la vie. 

J'y cours ; je le releve, et le prends dans mes bras ; 
Et me reconnoissant : " Je meurs," dit-il tout bas, 1 
<( Trop heureux d'expirer pour ma belle princesse. 
tc En vain k mon secours votre amitie s'empresse ; 
H C'est a ces furieux que vous devez courir : 
" Separez-les mon pere, et me laissez mourir." 
II expire a ces mots. Ce barbare spectacle 
A leur noire fureur n'apporte aucun obstacle ; 
Seulement Polynice en paroit affiige : 
" Attends, Hemon," dit-il, " tu vas 6tre venge." 
En effet sa douleur renouvelle sa rage, 
Et bientot le combat tourne a son avantage. 
Le roi, frappe d'un coup qui lui perce le flanc, 
Lui cede la victoire, et tombe dans son sang. 
Les deux camps aussitot s'abandonnent en proie, 
Le n6tre a la douleur, et les Grecs a. la joie ; 
Et le peuple, alarme du trepas de son roi, 
Sur le haut de ses tours temoigne son effroi. 
Polynice, tout fier du succes de son crime, 
Regarde avec plaisir expirer sa victime ; 
Dans le sang de son frere il semble se baigner, 
Et, " Tu meurs," lui dit-il, " et moi je vais regner. 
"Regarde dans mes mains l'empire et la victoire : 
" Va rougir aux enfers de Fexces de ma gloire ; 
" Et pour mourir encore avec plus de regret, 
<l Traitre, songe en mourant que tu meurs mon sujet." 



l Tout bas, i in a low voice. 5 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 159 

En achevant ces mots, d'une demarche fiere 

II s'approche du roi couche sur la poussiere, 

Et pour le desarmer il avance le bras. 

Le roi, qui semble mort, observe tous ses pas ; 

II le voit, il Tattend, et son ame irritee 

Pour quelque grand dessein semble s'eHre arrestee. 

L'ardeur de se venger flatte encor ses desirs, 

Et retarde le cours de ses derniers soupirs. 

Pret a rendre la vie, il en cache le reste, 

Et sa mort au vainqueur est un piege funeste : 

Et dans l'instant fatale que ce frere inhumain 

Lui veut 6ter le fer qu'il tenoit a la main, 

II lui perce le coeur ; et son ame ravie, 

En achevant ce coup, abandonne la vie. 

Polynice frappe pousse un cri dans les airs, 

Et son ame en courroux s'enfuit dans les enfers. 

Tout mort qu'il est, madame, il garde sa colere ; 

Et Ton diroit qu'encore il menace son frere : 

Son visage, ou la mort a repandu ses traits, 

Demeure plus terrible et plus tier que jamais. 

Racine< 

LA SENSIBILITE. 

Source c61este et jamais epuisee ! 
Toi dont la divine rosee 
Fait fleurir ces dons precieux 
Qu'accorde la bont6 des cieux 
Aux favoris de la nature ! 

C'est du cristal de ta fontaine pure, 
Qu'on voit tomber ces tendres pleurs 
Q,ui, goutte a goutte, avec un doux murmure 
Des maux d'autrui vont baigner les douleurs. 



160 



MORCEAUX POE'TIQUES. 



Tu nous fournis ces consolantes larmes 
Qui coulent en secret sur nos propres malheurs : 

C'est toi qui verses tant de charmes 

Sur les transports de l'amitie, 
Aux succes d'un ami dont elle est de moitie. 

Tu precipites ce torrent 
Qui roule sur l'ame attendrie, 
Avec transport se penetrant 
Des brillans eclats du g6nie. 

Enfin, c'est de ton sein qu'un deluge sacre 

Vient inonder notre paupiere, 
duand notre esprit, vers le ciel attire, 
Et d'un beau feu saintement penetre, 

S'eleve a Dieu dans la priere. 

Nivernois. 



VOCABULARY. 



14* 



ABBREVIATIONS. 



art. article. 


ad. adverb. 


sin. singular. 


prep, preposition. 


pi. plural. 


conj. conjunction. 


m. masculine. 


inter, interjection. 


/. feminine. 


inf. infinitive. 


s. substantive. 


ind. indicative. 


collec. collective. 


imp. imperative. 


dim. diminutive. 


subj. subjunctive. 


prop, proper. 


ger. gerund. 


a. adjective. 


pres. present. 


num. numeral. 


impf. imperfect. 


sup. superlative. 


pret. preterite. 


comp. comparative.. 


fat. future. 


part, participle. 


con. conditional. 


abs. absolute. 


1, 2, or 3. first, second, or third, 


adjec. adjectified.* 


person. 


substan. substantified.f 


v. verb. 


pron. pronoun. 


va. verb active. 


per. personal. 


vn. verb neuter. 


pos. possessive. 


vr. verb reflective. 


rel. relative. 


aux. auxiliary. 


indef. indefinite. 


impers. impersonal. 


ft. nominative case. 


F. from. 


o. objective case. 





As it has been considered expedient not to insert the plural number 
of nouns and adjectives, except in cases where they are irregularly 
formed — all those words, ending in s y which are not to be found in the 
vocabulary, will be considered plurals. The feminine termination of 
participles and adjectives has been separated by a hyphen from the 
participle or adjective itself. Thus tombe-e, fallen ; battu-e x beaten ; 
age~e, old ; abattu-e, dejected ; affreux-se horrid ; actif-ve, active. 



* Used as adjective. 



t Used as substantive. 



VOCABULARY. 



A. 

A, prep. to>. in, at. 

A, ind. pres. 3 sin. he, she, or it, has. F. avoir. 

Abaisse, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I diminish, he diminishes. F. abaisser* 

Abaisse-o, part, lowered, abated, brought down, dejected. F, abaisser* 

Abaissement, s. m. abasement, humiliation. 

Abaisser, inf. va. to abase, lower, let fall, bring down, diminish. 

Abandon, s. m. abandonment, forsaking, dereliction. 

Abandonna, ind. pret. 3 sin. he abandoned. 

Abandonnant, ger. abandoning. F. abandonner. 

Abandonne, ind. pres. 3 sin. he abandons. 

Abandonne-e, part, abandoned, forsaken, destitute, forlorn. F. aban-. 
donner. 

Abandonnent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they abandon. F. abandonner. 
Abandonner, inf. va. to abandon, forsake, quit, give up, desert. 
Abandonrioit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he abandoned. F. abandonner. 
Abattit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he crushed, pulled down. F. abattre. 
Abattre, inf. va. to pull down, demolish, dishearten, discourage, deject, 
or knock. 

Abattu-e, part, pulled down, crushed, dejected. F. abattre, 

Aboli-e, part, extinct, abolished, annulled. F. abolir. 

Abolir, inf. va. to abolish,. repeal, antiquate, revoke, annul. 

Abondance, s. f. abundance, plenty, affluence, superfluity. 

Abord, s. m. access, admittance, landing, resort, welcome. 

Aborder, inf. va. to land, disembark, arrive at, resort, come near, 

Abregeant, ger. abridging, shortening. F. abreger. 

Abreger, inf. va. to abridge, shorten, epitomize, abbreviate, contract. 

Abreuve, ind. pres. 3 sin. he waters. F. abreuver. 

Abreuvoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he imbrued, steeped. F. abreuver. 

Abri, s. m. shelter, cover, screen, protection. 



164 



ACC 



Absenter (s') } inf. vr. to absent one's self, to go away, be absent. 

Absolu-e, adj. absolute, arbitrary, imperious. 

Absorboit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he absorbed. F. absorber. 

Absoudre, inf. va. to absolve, acquit, discharge, clear. 

Absout, ind. pres. 3 sin. he absolves, acquits. F. absoudre. 

Abstraction, s.f abstraction, separation. 

Abusant, ger. abusing. F. abuser. 

Abuser, inf. va. to cheat, deceive, abuse. 

Abyme, s. m. an abyss, gulf, chasm, pit. 

Academie, s.f academy. 

Accable-e, part, oppressed, crushed, overthrown. F. accabler. 

Accabler, inf. va. to oppress, crush, overthrow, overbear. 

Accent, s. m. accent, tone, stress of voice. 

Accepta, ind. pret. 3. sin. he accepted. F. accepter. 

Accepte-e part, accepted, received. F. accepter. 

Acception, s. f regard, respect. 

Accessoire, a. accessory. 

Accident, s. ?n. an accident, adventure, fortune, chance. 
Accompagne, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he accompanies. F. accom- 
pagner. 

Accompagne-e, part, accompanied, conducted, attended. F. accom- 
pagner. 

Accord, s. m. agreement, bargain, unity, harmony. 
Accordant-e, a. accordant, harmonious. 

Accorde, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I grant, he grants. F. accorder. 
Accorde-e, part, granted, allowed, conceded. F. accorder. 
Accoident, ind. pres. 3 pi they grant. F. accorder. 
Accorder, inf. va. to grant, allow, agree. 

Accorderent, ind. pret. 3 sin. they granted, allowed, agreed. F. ac- 
corder. 

Accordoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he granted. F. accorder. 
Accroitre, inf. va. to increase, augment, enlarge. 
Accru-e, part, increased. F. accroitre. 
Accumule-e, part, accumulated. F. accumuler. 
Accusateur, s. m. accuser, impeacher. 
Accusation, s.f accusation. 

Accuse, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he accuses. F. accuser. 
Accuse-e, part, accused. F. accuser. 



ADR 



165 



Accuser, inf. va. to accuse, charge, impeach or blame, 
Accusoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he accused. F. accuser.- 
Acharner, inf. va. to excite, to irritate. 
Acheva, ind. pret. 3 sin. he finished. F. achever. 
Achevant, ger. finishing, closing, ending. F. achever. 
Acheve, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he finishes. F. achever, 
Acheve-e, part, finished, completed. F. achever. 
Achevent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they finish, conclude. F. achever. 
Achever, inf. va. to finish, conclude, close, complete, end. 
Achevez, imp. 2 pi. conclude (you). F. achever. 
Acier, s. m. steel, sword. 

Acquerir, inf. va. to acquire, purchase, get, achieve, attain, gain. 
Acquiert, ind. pres. 3 sin. he acquires. F. acquerir. 
Acquitter, inf. va. to acquit, discharge, clear, pay off, answer, quit 
Acron, s. prop. m. a man's name. 
Acte, s. m. act, 

Actif-ive, a. active, sprightly, vivid, alert, nimble. 

Action, s. f. action, agency, virtue, deed, motion, gesture. 

Activite, s.f. activity, sprightliness, alertness. 

Admet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he admits, acknowledges. F. admettre. 

Admettre, inf. va. to admit, give admittance, acknowledge, approve, 

Administration, s.f. administration, rule, government. 

Admirable, a. admirable, wonderful, rare, pretty; 

Admirant, ger. admiring, wondering. F. admirer. 

Admiration, s.f. admiration, wonder, surprise. 

Admire-e,^?ar£. admired. F. admirer. 

Admirer, inf. va. to admire, wonder at, to hold in admiration. 

Admirons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we admire, wonder at. F. admirer. 

Adopte-e, part, adopted, embraced. F. adopter. 

Adopter, inf. va. to adopt, embrace, espouse, claim one's own. 

Adorable, a. adorable, charming, sweet. 

Adorateur, s. m. adorer, worshipper, admirer, lover. 

Adore-e, part, adored, admired, worshipped. F. adorer. 

Adorer, inf. va. to adore, worship, honour, respect. 

Adoucir, inf. va. to soften, mitigate, sweeten, assuage, pacify, calm* 

Adressant, ger. addressing. 

Adresse, s.f. direction, address, dexterity, adroitness. 
Adressent, ind. pi es. 3. pi. they direct, address. F, adresser* 



166 



AGI 



Adresser (s'). inf. vr. to address one's self, to speak to, to address. 
Adroit, a. skilful, dextrous. 

Adultere, a. substan. adulterer, adulteress, adulterous. 
Adversite, s.f. adversity, calamity, affliction, misery. 
Affaire, s.f thing, affair, matter, transaction, business. 
Affame-e, part, famished, starved. F. affamer. 
Affecte-e, part, affected, feigned. F. affecter. 
Affectent, ind. pres. 3. pi. they affect. F. affecter. 
Affecter, inf. va. to appropriate, destine, affect, feign. 
Affection, s.f. affection, love, benevolence, kindness. 
Affectionne-e, part, adjec. affectionate, fond, attached to. F. affec- 
tionner. 

Affectoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he affected. F. affecter. 

Affectueux-se, a. affectionate, loving, kind, obliging. 

Affermi-e, part, strengthened. F. affermir. 

Affermir, inf. va. to strengthen, fasten, harden, consolidate. 

Affermissois, ind. impf. 1 sin. I confirmed. F. affermir. 

Affirmativement, ad. affirmatively. 

Affliction, s.f. affliction, grief, trouble, vexation. 

Affligeant-e, a. afflicting, grievous, heavy, sad, mournful. 

Afflige-e, part, afflicted, grieved, troubled. F. affliger. 

Affliger, inf. va. to afflict, grieve, vex, trouble, cast down, mortify. 

Affbibli-e, part, enfeebled, weakened, enervated. F. affoiblir. 

Affbiblir, inf. va. to enfeeble, weaken, enervate, craze, debilitate. 

Affianchir, inf. va. to set free, to free, to enfranchise, to deliver. 

Affranchit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he frees, delivers. F. affi anchir. 

Affreux-se, a. frightful, hideous, horrible, horrid, terrible. 

Affront, s. m. affront, injury, offence, disrepect. 

Afin, conj. that, in order that. 

Age, s. ?n. age, years, old age, time, generation. 

Age-e, a. aged, old, elderly, stricken in years. 

Agilite, s.f. agility, nimbleness, quickness, suppleness. 

Agir, inf. vn. to act, deal, work, operate, behave, conduct. 

Agit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he acted, or behaved. F. agir. 

Agitation, s.f. agitation, trouble, perturbation, uneasiness. 

Agite-e,^ar£. agitated, tossed, debated, moved. F. agiter. 

Agitent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they act, deal, conduct. F. agir. 

Agiter, inf. va. to agitate, put in motion, toss, move, shake, jolt. 



AJO 



Agiterent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they agitated. F. agir. 

Agrandir, inf. va. to enlarge, increase, augment, aggrandize. 

Agrandit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he enlarges. F. agrandir. 

Agreable, a. agreeable, pleasant, delightful, lovely. 

Agreez, imp. pres. 2. pi. accept, receive, (ye or you). F. agreer, 

Agrement, s. m. liking, consent, elegance, accomplishment. 

Agriculture, s.f. agriculture. 

Agrigente, s. prop. Agrigentum, a town in Sicily. 

Ah, inter] . ah ! alas ! wo to ! 

Ai, ind. pres. 1 sin. I have, or I hold. F. avoir. 

Aidant, ger. aiding, helping, assisting. F. aider. 

Aider, inf. va. to aid, help, relieve, assist, speed. 

Aient, subj. pres. 3 pi. they may have. F. avoir. 

A'ieul, s. m. grandfather, grandsire, progenitor, ancestor. 

A'ieux, s, pi. m. ancestors, forefathers. 

Aigle, s. m. eagle, the largest and strongest bird of prey. 

Aigrir, inf. va. to embitter, make sour, steel, whet, irritate. 

Aiguillon, s. m. sting, goad. 

Aile, s.f. wing, pinion, wing of a house, ale. 

Aile-e, a. winged, aliferous, with wings. 

Ailleurs, adv. elsewhere, in some other place, not here. 

Aima, ind pret. 3 sin, he loved, liked, admired. F. aimer. 

Aimable. a. amiable, lovely, agreeable, sweet. 

Aimant, ger. loving, liking, admiring. F. aimer, 

Aime, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I love, he loves. 

Aime-e, part, loved, liked, admired. F. aimer. 

Aiment, ind. pres. 3 pi. they love, like, admire, F. aimer. 

Aimer, inf. va. to love, like, admire, affect, delight. 

Aimoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he loved, liked, admired. F. aimer, 

Ainsi, ad. thus, so, in this manner, then, for this reason. 

Air, s. 7n. air, song, appearance, manner, way. 

Airain, s. m. copper, brass. 

Aisance, s.f. ease, freedom, facility, competency. 
Aise-e, a. easy, not difficult, in good circumstances. 
Aisement, ad. easily. 
Aissieu, 5. m. axle. 

Ait, subj. pres. 3 sin. he may have, or hold. 

Ajouta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he added, joined. F. ajouter. 



168 



AMB 



Ajoutant, ger. added, joining, subjoining. F. ajouter. 
Ajoutates, ind. pret. 2 pi. you added. F. ajouter. 
Ajoute, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I add, he adds. F. ajouter. 
Ajouter, inf. va. to add, join, subjoin, supply. 
Ajoutoit, ind. inipf. 3 sin. he added, joined. F. ajouter. 
Alarme-e, part, alarmed. F. alarmer. 
Alcee, s.f. alcea, vervain mallow, (a plant). 
Alentour, ad. round, round about, neighbouring. 

Alexandre, s. prop. m. Alexander, surnamed the Great, on account of 
the [many victories he achieved. He was third king of Macedonia, 
born before Christ 355, that night in which the famous temple of Di- 
ana, in Ephesus, was burnt by Erostratus. 

Aliment, s. m. aliment, food, nourishment. 

Alle-e, part, gone, been, walked. F. alter. 

Allegorie, s.f. allegory, parable, similitude. 

Allemagne, s. prop.f. Germany, a large region in the middle of Europe* 

Aller, inf. vn. to go, repair, walk, march, whip, dart, step. 

Allez, imp. pres. 2 pi. go, repair, march, (ye). 

Alliance, s.f. alliance, league, confederacy, affinity. 

Allie-e, part, allied, united. F. allier. 

Alloit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did go, went, stepped. F. aller. 

Allume, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I kindle, he kindles. F. allumer. 

Allume-e, part . kindled, lighted, set on fire. F. allumer. 

Allumer, inf. va. to light, kindle, set on fire. 

Alors, ad. then, at that time, immediately after. 

Alouette, s.f. a lark, purr, (a small bird). 

Alteration, s.f. alteration. 

Altere-e, a. thirsty, dry. 

Alterent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they alter. F. alterer. 
Alterer, inf. va. to alter. 

Alternatif-ive, adj. alternative, alternate, done by turns. 

Altorf, s. prop.f. Altoif, a city in Switzerland. 

Amant, s. m. lover, sweetheart, gallant. 

Amante, s.f. mistress, sweetheart. 

Amas, s. m. heap, collection, store, exaggeration. 

Ambassadeur-drice, s. m. ambassador, messenger, envoy. 

Ambitieux, a. substan. an ambitious man. 

Ambitieux-se, a. ambitious, desirous, covetous, high minded. 



ANN 



169 



Ambition, s.f. ambition, desire, wish. 

Ame, s.f. the soul, conscience, person, a rough figure of clay. 

Amene, ind.pres. 1 or 3 sin. I bring, he brings. F. amener. 

Amenoit, ind. imp/. 3 sin. he brought, induced. F. amener. 

Amer-ere, a. bitter, sad, troublesome, hard. 

Americain-e, s. m. or f an American, or an American woman. 

Americain-e, a. American, relating to America. 

Amerique, s. prop.f. America, the fourth part of the globe. 

Amertume, s.f. bitterness, bitter taste, acerbity. 

Ami-e, s. m. or f. a friend, acquaintance, lover, partner. 

Amitie, s.f. friendship, favour, affection, kindness. 

Amollirent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they mollified, softened. F. amollir. 

Amoncele-e, part, heaped up, laid up. F. amonceler. 

Amorce, s.f. priming, bait, trap, enticement. 

Amortissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they quench. F. amortir. 

Amour, s. m. love, affection, tenderness, lust, devotion. 

Arnusent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they amuse. F. amuser. 

Amuseront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they shall amuse. F. amuser. 

An, s. m. year, twelvemonth. 

Anarchie, s.f anarchy. 

Ancien, a. ?n. old, ancient, antique, former. 

Ancienne, a.f ancient, old, antique, pristine, former, 

Aneanti-e, part, annihilated. F. aneantir. 

Aneantissement, s. m. annihilation. 

Aneantissez, imp. pres. 2 pi. annihilate, (ye or you.) F. aneantir. 

Anecdote, s.f. anecdote. 

Ange, s. m. angel, genius, intelligence. 

Angle, s. m. an angle. 

Angleterre, s. prop.f. England, a kingdom in Europe. 

Anglois, s. rn. an Englishman, a native of England. 

Animal, pi. animaux, s. m. an animal, beast, brute, irrational being. 

Anime, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I animate, he animates. F. animer. 

Anime-e, part, animated, enlivened. F. animer. 

Anirnent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they animate. F. animer. 

Animer, inf. va. to animate, give lite, inspire, quicken. 

Animera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will animate. F. animer. 

Animoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he animated. F. animer. 

Annales, s.f pi. annals, annual chronicles, history, 



15 



170 



APP 



Annee, s.f. a year, a twelvemonth. 

Annibal, s. prop. m. Annibal, a very celebrated general of antiquity. 
Annoncant, ger. informing, declaring, announcing. F. annoncer. 
Annon^at, subj. impf. 3 sin. ne should announce. F. annoncer. 
Annonce, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I inform, he informs, announces. F. an- 
noncer. 

Annonce-e, part, announced. F. annoncer. 
Annoncent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they inform, announce. F. annoncer. 
Annoncer, inf. va. to announce, tell, declare, inform, proclaim. 
Annon9oit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he informed, announced. F. annoncer. 
Anse, s.f. the ear, handle (of a pot, or basket), creek, little bay. 
Anticipoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he anticipated. F. anticiper. 
Antioche, s.prop.f. Antioch, a town of Assyria, an ancient kingdom. 
Antique, a. antique, ancient, old, of old fashion. 
Antiquite, s.f. antiquity, remains of old times, old times. 
Anxiete, s.f. anxiety. 

Apanage, s. m. appendix, appurtenance, gift, concomitant. 

Apercevoir, inf. va. to perceive, discover, descry, discern. 

Apercevra, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will perceive. F. apercevoir. 

Aperqoit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he perceives, discovers. F. apercevoir. 

Aper^u-e, part, perceived, discovered, espied. F. apercevoir. 

Aperqut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he perceived, discovered. F. apercevoir. 

Apogee, s. m. apogee, highest point. 

Apologie, s.f. vindication, excuse, plea, apology. 

Apotre, s. m. apostle, (a person whom our Saviour deputed to preach 

the gospel,) a messenger. 
Appaise-e, part, appeased, pacified. F. appaiser. 
Appaisent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they appease, pacify. F. appaiser. 
Appaiser, inf. va. to appease, pacify, assuage, qualify, calm. 
Appareil, s. m. preparation, furniture, solemnity, train. 
Apparence, s.f appearance. 

Apparoissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they appear. F. apparoitre. 
Apparoitre, inf. vn. to appear, to be in sight, to be visible. 
Appartement, s. m. apartment, lodging, room. 
Appartenir, inf. vn. to belong, appertain, relate, concern. 
Appartient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he appertains, belongs. F. appartenir. 
Appartiennent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they appertain. F. appartenir. 
Appas, s. m. pi. charms, enticements, allurements. 



ARB 



171 



Appeler, inf. va. to call, name, title, term, give a call. 
Appelle, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I call, he calls. F. appeler. 
Appelle-e, part, called, named, titled, termed. F. appeler. 
Appellent, ind. pres. 3. pi. they call. F. appeler. 
Appesantit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he made heavy. F. appesantir. 
Applanissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they smooth, make plain. F. applanir. 
Apporta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he brought. F. apporter. 
Apporte, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I bring, he brings. F. apporter. 
Apporte, subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he may bring. F. apporter. 
Apporter, inf. va. to bring, bring down, bring up, fetch. 
Apprecie-e, part, appreciated. F. apprecier. 
Apprend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he learns, informs. F. apprendre. 
Apprendre, inf. va. to learn, get, be told, informed, hear, understand. 
Appret, s. m. preparation, preparative, dressing, ceremony. 
Appris, ind. pret. 1 sin. I learned. F. apprendre. 
Appris-e, part, taught, learned, acquired. F. apprendre. 
Apprit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he taught. F. apprendre. 
Approcha, ind. pret. 3 sin. he approached. F. approcher. 
Approchant, ger. approaching, drawing near. F. approcher. 
Approche, ind. pres. I or 3 sin. I approach, he approaches. F, ap- 
procher. 

Approche, s.f. approach, approaching, advance. 

Approcher, inf. va. to approach, bring or draw near, come forward. 

Approchez, ind. or imper. pres. 2 pi. you approach, approach (you). 

F. approcher. 
Approuve-e, part, approved. F. approuver. 
Appui, s. m. prop, stay, support. 

Appuya, ind. pret. 3 sin. he reclined, applied. F. appuyer. 
Appuye-e, part, propped, supported, reclined. F. appuyer. 
Appuyer, inf. va. to prop, stay, support, bear up, rest, hinge. 
Apre, a. sharp, harsh, rough, biting, severe, violent, cutting. 
Apres, prep, after, next to, past, except, against. 
Apres, ad. after, afterwards, subsequently, next. 
Arabie-petree, s.prop.f. Arabia-Petrea, or Stony Arabia. 
Arbelles, s.prop.f. Arbela, now Irbil, a town of Persia. 
Arbitraire, a. arbitrary. 

Arbitre, s. m. arbiter, arbitrator, will, master, sovereign. 
Arbre, s. m. a tree, piece or beam of timber, mast (of vessels). 



172 



ARR 



Arbrisseau, s. m. a small tree, shrub. 
Arche, s.f. arch, ark, vault. 

Archeduc, s. m. archduke, (title of princes of the house of Austria), 

Archeveque, s. m. archbishop, metropolitan. 

Archimedes, s. prop. m. a celebrated Greek mathematician. 

Ardemment, ad. ardently, eagerly, passionately, vehemently. 

Ardent-e, a. hot, burning, fiery, glowing, ardent, zealous. 

Ardeur, s.f. heat, burning heat, fire, ardour, zeal, vehemence. 

Areopage, s. m. Areopagus, a famous Athenian tribunal. 

Argent, s. m. money, silver, coin, purse, cash. 

Argente-e, part, silvered over, plated, F. argenter. 

Argenter, inf. va. to silver over, to do over with silver, to plate. 

Argentin-e, a. silver (of a clear sound), silver coloured, bright, clear. 

Argos, s. prop.f. Argos, a town in Achaia, a province of Greece. 

Argus, s. prop. m. Argus, an ancient personage, who had a hundred eyes. 

A.ricie, s. prop.f. Aricia. 

Aride, a. arid, barren, dry, withered, dull. 

Arkanza, s. prop.f. Arkansas, a river and territory in North America. 

Arma, ind. pret. 3 sin. he armed. F. armer. 

Arme, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I arm, he arms. F. armer. 

Arme (qu'il), imp. 3 sin. let him arm. F. armer. 

Arme, subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or h~e may arm. F. armer. 

Arme, s.f. arm, weapon, cudgel, tackle, steel. 

Arme-e, part, armed, mailed, weaponed. F. armer. 

Armee, s.f. an army, forces, troops, men, people. 

Armer, inf. va. to arm, furnish with arms, mail, or harness. 

Armer (s'), inf. vr. to arm one's self, to take up arms, to be prepared. 

Armera, ind. fat. 3 sin. he shall or will arm. F. armer. 

Armes, s.f. pi. arms, war, military exploits, fighting. 

Arracha, ind. pret. 3 sin. he tore off, snatched. F. arracher. 

Arrache-e, part, pulled, drawn, got, snatched, wrested. F. arracher. 

Arrachent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they bear off, pluck, wrest. F. arracher. 

Arracher, inf. va. to pull, draw, snatch, tear off. 

Anange-e, part, arranged. F. arranger. 

Arret, s. m. sentence, act, embargo, a stay, distress. 

Arreta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he arrested, or stopped. F. arrSter. 

Arrete, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I arrest, he arrests. F. arreter. 

Arrete-e, part, stopped, arrested. F. arreter. 



ASS 



173 



Arretent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they stop. F. arriter, , 
Arreter, inf. va. to arrest, stop, make, detain, bar. 
Arreter (s') } inf. vr. to stop, to remain, to make a stay. 
Arretoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they stopped. F. arreter, 
Arriere, s. m. stern, after part. 
Arrivant, ger. arriving. F. arriver. 

Arrive, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I arrive, he arrives. F. arriver. 

Arrive-e, part, landed, happened, arrived. F. arriver. 

Arriver, inf. vn. to land, come to, arrive, happen, chance, betide. 

Arrivera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall or will arrive. F. arriver. 

Arroger (s'), inf. vr. to arrogate to one's self, claim vainly, challenge. 

Arrondir, inf. va. to round, to make round. 

Arrondit, ind. pres. 3 si?i. he makes round. F. arrondir. 

Arrose, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I water, sprinkle, he waters. F. arroser. 

Arroser, inf. va. to water, sprinkle over, besprinkle, drench, dew. 

Arsenal, s.f arsenal. 

Art, s. in. art, skill, workmanship, mystery, craft. 

Artaxerces, s. prop. m. Artaxerxes, a king of Persia, remarkable for his 
equity and moderation. He reigned 39 years, and died 425 years 
before Christ, 

Article, 5. in. articulation, article, head, point, term. 

Artisan, s. m. artificer, artisan. 

Artiste, s. m. artist, artificer. 

As, ind. pres. 2 sin. thou hast, or possessest. F. avoir. 
Asie, s. prop. f. Asia. 

Aspect, s. in. aspect, appearance, look, countenance, prospect, 
Aspirant, ger. aspiring. F. aspirer. 
Aspirer, inf. vn. to aspire. 

Aspiroient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they aspired, F. aspirer. 
Aspiroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he aspired. F. aspirer. 
Assailli-e, part, assaulted, assailed, attacked. F. assaillir, 
Assaillir, inf. va. to assault, assail, aggress, attack, fall upon. 
Assemblage, s. m. assemblage. 

Assemble, ind, pres. 1 or 3 sin. I assemble, he assembles. F. assem- 
bler. 

Assemblee, s.f. assembly, meeting, session, congress. 
Assembler, inf. va. to assemble, call, convoke, gather, meet, 
Assez, ad, enough, sufficient, sufficiently, 

15* 



174 



ATT 



Assiegent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they besiege. F. assieger. 

Assieger, inf. va. to besiege, to lay siege to a town. 

Assigner, inf. va. to assign. 

Assigne-e, part, assigned. F. assigner. 

Assis-e, part, set down, sitting, seated. F. s'asseoir. 

Assiste, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I assist, he assists. F, assister. 

Assit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he or she sat down, settled. F. s'asseoir* 

Associant, ger. associating. F. associer. 

Association, s.f. association. 

Assouvi-e, part, glutted, satiated, satisfied. F. assouvir. 

Assouvir, inf. va, to glut, satiate, satisfy. 

Assurance, s.f. assurance, boldness, certainty, trust. 

Assure, ind. pres. 3 sin. he assures, insures. F. assurer. 

Assure -e, a. sure, certain, bold, positive, firm. 

Assurent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they assure, affirm. F. assurer. 

Assurer, inf va. to assure, assert, affirm, promise, swear. 

Astre, s. m. a star, a planet, the sun. 

Asyle, s. m. asylum, refuge, shelter, sanctuary,. 

Atarne, s. prop.f. Atarnea, a part of Mysia, Asia Minor. 

Athenes, s. prop.f. Athens, a great city of the republic of Athens, 

Atheniens, s. prop. m. the Athenians, an ancient people of Greece,. 

Atmosphere, s.f. the atmosphere, ambient air. 

Atome, s. m. atom, corpuscle, least, mote, 

Atroce, a. atrocious, cruel. 

Atrocite, s.f. atrocity, enormity. 

Attacha, ind. pret. 3 sin. he tied, attached, endeared. F. attacker. 
Attache, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I tie, endear, he ties. F. attacker. 
Attache -e, part, tied, bound, fastened, attached. F. attacker. 
Attache-e, a. near, eovetous, selfish, attached, fond of. 
Attacher, inf. va. to tie, bind, fasten, attach, affix, endear. 
Attaqua, ind. pret. 3 sin. he attacked. F. attaquer. 
Attaque, s.f. attack., assault, onset, aggression. 
Attaque, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I attack, he attacks. F. attaquer 
Attaque-e, part, attacked, assaulted, F. attaquer. 
Attaquoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he attacked. F. attaquer. 
Attaquons, imp. 1 pi. let us attack. F. attaquer. 
Atteindre, inf. vn. to reach, touch, strike, hit. 
Atteindre, inf va. to obtain, to attain, to compass. 



AUD 



175 



Atteint-e, part, hit, struck, attacked; affected. F. atteindre. 
Atteinte, s.f attack, blow, assault. 

Attend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he or she expects, awaits. F. attendre. 

Attende, subj.pres. 1 or 3 sin, I or he may attend; await. F. attendre, 

Attendant, ger. expecting, tarrying, waiting for. F. attendre. 

Attendent, ind. pres. 3 pi, they expect. F. attendre. 

Attendit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he awaited. F. attendre. 

Attendoient, ind. imp/. 3 pi. they expected, waited for. F. attendre. 

Attendois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I or thou didst stay. F. attendre. 

Attendre, inf. va. to expect, look out, stay, wait, or look for. 

Attendrissement, s. m. pity, commiseration, compassion, 

Attends, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I expect, thou expectest. F. attendre. 

Attends, imp. 2 sin. attend (thou). F. attendre. 

Attendu-e, part, expected. F. attendre. 

Attentat, s. m. a wicked attempt, an outrage, encroachment. 

Attentif-ve, a. attentive. 

Attention, s.f. attention, supplication, diligence, vigilance. 

Atteste, ind. pres. 3 sin. he attests. F. attester. 

Attique, a. attic, (relating or pertaining to Athens,) poignant. , 

Attirant, ger. attracting, enticing, alluring. F. attirer. 

Attire, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I attract, he attracts. F. attirer. 

Attire-e, part, attracted, enticed, trained. F. attirer, 

Attirent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they attract. F, attirer. 

Attirer, inf. va. to attract, draw to, bring over, entice 7 allure, 

Attiroit, ind, impf, 3 sin, he attracted. F. attirer, 

Attitude, s.f. attitude, posture. 

Attouchement, s. m, touch, feeling. 

Attrait, s. m. allurement, enticement; bait, charm, 

Au, def. art. m. sin, to the, in the, at the. F. le, the, 

Aube, s.f. the dawn, dawning, break of day, 

Auberge, s. f. hotel, tavern, cookshop, harbour. 

Aucun-e, indef.pron. sin, no, none, not any, nobody, not any one, 

Audace, s. f. audacity, confidence, assurance, presumption. 

Au-dela, prep, on the other side, beyond, past, above, 

Au-dessus. prep, above, beyond, on, over. 

Au-devant, prep, before, over against, opposite, 

Audience, s.f audience, court, sitting, hearing. 

Auditeur, 8. m. auditor, hearer, by*stander, follower. 



176 



AVA 



Augmente -e, part, adjec. increased, augmented, improved. F. aug~ 

menter. 

Augmente, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I augment, thou augmentest. 
Augmenter, inf. va. to augment, increase, enlarge, extend, improve. 
Augmentera, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will augment. F. augmenter. 
Auguste, a. august, awful, grand, sacred, venerable, royal. 
Aujourd'hui, ad. to-day, this day, on this occasion. 
Auparavant, ad. before. 

Aupres, prep, near, nigh, by, next, close, to, against, in comparison. 

Auquel, rel. pron. m. sin. o. to which, to whom. F. lequel. 

Aura, ind. fat. 3 sin. he shall or will have. F. avoir. 

Aurai, ind. fat. 1 sin. I shall or will have. F. avoir. 

Auras, ind. fat. 2 sin. thou shalt or wilt have. F. avoir. 

Aurez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall or will have. F. avoir. 

Auriez, ind. con. 2 pi. you would, should, might have. F. avoir. 

Auroient, ind. con. 3 pi. they would have. F. avoir. 

Auroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should, would, might have. F. avoir. 

Aurons, ind.fut. 1 pi. we shall or will have. F. avoir. 

Aurore, s.f aurora, day -break, dawn, break of day. 

Aussi, conj. also, as, too, likewise, so, but, accordingly, even as. 

Aussi-bien, conj. for, and the more, so as, so, as well as. 

Aussitot, ad. immediately, forthwith, presently, directly, as soon as* 

Austere, a. austere, severe, rigorous, rigid, strict, sour. 

Autant, ad. as much as, as many as, so much as, so many as. 

Autel, s. m. altar, communion table. 

Auteur, s. m. author, inventor, founder, contriver, writer. 

Autorite, s.f. authority, legal power, staff, empire. 

Autour (de), prep, about, round, neighbouring. 

Autour, ad. about, round, round about, hereabouts. 

Autre, a. other, another, a second, else, another person. 

Autre, indef pro. another, other, else, some other, some one else. 

Autrefois, ad. formerly, some time since, anciently, heretofore. 

Autrement, ad. otherwise, if not, after, another way. 

Autriche, s. prop.f. Austria, a large empire in Europe. 

Autrichien-ne, s. an Austrian, one from Austria. 

Aux, def. art. pi. ?n. or f. o. to them, in them, at them, on them. 
F. les. 

Avanca, ind. pret. 3 sin. he advanced, hastened. F. avancer. 



AZU 



177 



Avanc,ant, ger. putting forward, advancing. F. avancer. 
Avance, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I advance, he advances. F. avancer. 
Avance, (d' or par,) ad. before hand, in hand, by anticipation, in 
advance. 

Avant, prep, before, in front of, in the presence of, prior to. 
Avant, (que or de,) before, ere. 

Avantage, s. m. advantage, benefit, commodity, avail, profit. 

Avare, a. avaricious, covetous, miserly, a miser. 

Avec, prep, with, together with, among, out of, along with. 

Avenir, s. m. the future, futurity, posterity. 

Aventure, s.f. adventure. 

Avenue, 5./. passage, entrance, pass, door, avenue. 
Averti-e, part, warned, advertised. F. avertir. 
Avertissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they warn. F. avertir. 
Avertit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he warns, cautions. F. avertir. 
Avertit, ind. pret, 3 sin. he warned, cautioned. F. avertir, 
Aveugle, a. blind, eyeless, sightless, hallucinated. 
Aveugle, s. m. or f. a blind man, or woman* 
Aveugler, inf. va. to blind. 

Avez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you have, you possess. F. avoir. 
Avide, a. greedy, eager, desirous, covetous, rapacious. 
Avidement, ad. greedily, eagerly, voraciously, hungrily. 
Avidite, s. m. avidity, greediness, eagerness, dryness. 
Avions, ind. impf 1 pi. we had, we possessed. F. avoir. 
Avisa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he imagined, thought. F. aviser. 
Avoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they had, they possessed. F. avoir. 
Avoir, inf. v. aux. to have. 

Avoir, inf. va. to have, bear, meet, obtain, hold, entertain, possess* 

Avois, ind. impf. I or 2 sin. I had, thou hadst. F. avoir. 

Avoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he or she had. F. avoir. 

Avons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we have, we possess. F. avoir. 

Avouera, ind. fat. 3 pi. he or she shall own. F. avouer. 

Ayant, ger. having, possessing, bearing. F. avoir. 

Azur, s. m. azure colour, azurestone, blue colour, plunket, lapis, 



178 



BEL 



B. 

Baignent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they bathe, or may bathe. F. bai- 
gner. 

Baigner, inf. va. or n. to bathe, water, lave, wash, soak. 
Baise, ind. pres. 3 sin. he kisses. F. baiser. 

Baisse-e, part, down, let down, lowered, abated, subdued. F. baisser. 
Balan<^ant, ger. balancing, counterbalancing, poising. F. balancer. 
Balance, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin, I balance, he balances. F. balancer. 
Balancent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they balance, poise. F. balancer. 
Balancer, inf. va. or n. to balance, poise, swing, hesitate, waver. 
Balbutiant, ger. stuttering, stammering, lisping. F. balbutier. 
Banc, s. m. bench, bank, beam of a boat. 
Barbare, a. barbarous, unrelenting, inhuman, cruel. 
Barbare, a. substan. a barbarous, cruel, or inhuman individual. 
Barbe, s.f. beard ; s. m. a Barbary horse. 
Barre-e, s.f bar, rail. 

Barriere, s.f rail, railings, hindrance, barrier, obstacle, fence. 
Barthelemy, s.prop. m. Barthelemy, a very eminent French writer. 
Bas, a. low, shallow, decrescent, short, deep. 
Bas, ad. down, low, in a low tone of voice. 
Base, s.f basis, base. 

Bassement, ad. meanly, lowly, despicably, basely. 
Bataille, s.f. battle, fight, fray, struggle. 

Battaillon, s. m. battallion, (a body of soldiers, 700 in number.) 

Bati-e, part, built, constructed. F. bdtir. 

Battit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he beat, struck. F. battre. 

Battre, inf % va. to beat, strike, bang, belabour, fight, pommel. 

Battu-e, part, coined, beaten. F. battre. 

Beant-e, a. gaping, yawning. 

Beau-belle, a. beauteous, beautiful, comely, clever, handsome. 
Beau, a. substan. beauty, excellency, cleverness, comeliness. 
Beaucoup, ad. very much, many, a great deal, great many. 
Beaute, s.f beauty v loveliness, richness, magnificence. 
Bee, s. m. beak. 

Bek, s. prop. m. Bek, a German general, allied with the Spanish army. 
Bel-le, a. beauteous, beautiful, fine, lovely, excellent. 



BLE 



179 



Belgique, a. Belgic, relating or pertaining to Flanders. 

Belier, s. m. a ram, (a male sheep,) battering-ram. 

Belliqueux-se, a. warlike, martial, valiant, pertaining to war. 

Benediction, s.f. benediction, blessing, consecration, grace^ 

Beni-e, part, blessed, praised, hallowed. F. benir. 

Benissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they bless, they wish well. F. benir. 

Benissent, subj. pres. 3 pi. that they may bless. F. benir. 

Benissons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we bless. F. benir. 

Benit-e, part, blessed, well wished. F. benir. 

Berceau, s. m. a cradle, bower, commencement, birth. 

Besoin, s. m. need, want, penury, indigence, occasion. 

Bete, s.f. beast, brute, stupid creature, irrational being. 

Bien, s. m. blessing, good, advantage, property, comfort. 

Bien, ad. well, right, truly, well done, in this way, many. 

Bien-aime-e, a. substan. beloved, fondling, darling, dear. 

Bien-etre, s. m. accommodation, well-being, competency. 

Bienfaisance, s.f. beneficence, bounty, munificence. 

_Bienfaisant-e, a. beneficent, benign, humane, kind, benevolent. 

Bienfait, s. m. benefit, good turn, kindness, boon, favour. 

Bienfaiteur, s. m. benefactor, (he who protects any one.) 

Bienheureux-se, a. happy, fortunate. 

Bienseance, s. f. decency, decorum. 

Bientot, ad. soon, shortly, ere long, very soon, now. 

Bienveillance, s.f. benevolence, good will, love, charity. 

Bignonia, s.f bignonia, a plant in North America. 

Bilieux-se, a. bilious. 

Billet, s. m. note, billet, letter, ticket. 

Bison, s. m. bison, (a wild ox of North America). 

Biton, s. prop. m. Biton, a man's name. 

Bizarre, a. odd, fantastical, humorous, curious, hypochondriac. 
Blanc, s. m. the white colour. 

Blanc-che, a. white, hoar, grey, clean, not dirty, nice. 
Blanchi-e, part, whitened. F. blanchir. 

Blanchit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he whitens, becomes grey. F. blanchir. 
Blessa, ind pret. 3 sin. he wounded. F. blesser. 
Blesse-e, part, wounded, hurt, pinched, injured. F. blesser. 
Blesser, inf. va. to wound, hurt, pinch, grate, shoot, wring. 
Blessure, s.f. a wound. 



180 



BRE 



Bleu-e, a. blue, azure, painted blue. 

Bleuatre, a. somewhat blue, bluish, bordering on the blue. 
Bois, s. m. wood, forest, horns or head of a deer. 
Boisjolin, s.prop. m, Boisjolin, the name of a French marquis. 
Bon, a. m. good, admirable, mild, sound, excellent. 
Bondissant, ger. bounding, rebounding, skipping. F. bondir. 
Bonheur, s. m. happiness, good luck, beatitude, felicity. 
Bonne, a. good, excellent, mild. Feminine of bon. 
Bonte, s.f. goodness, excellence, cleverness* 
Bord, s. m. border, edge, brink, margin, suburb, slip. 
Borgne, s. m. or f. one-eyed, (he that is blind of one eye). 
Borne, s.f. bound, boundary, confine, landmark. 
Bosphore, s. m. the Bosphorus. 
Bossuer, inf. va. to bruise, dint, batter. 

Bossuet, s.prop. m. Bossuet, a most eminent French bishop. 
Bouc, s. m. goat. 

Bouche, s. f mouth, opening. Munitions de bouche, provisions. 

Boucher, s. ra. shield, buckler. 

Bougeoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he moved. F. bouger. 

Bouger, inf. vn. to stir, budge, wag, move, depart, start, go off. 

Bouillon, s. ra. bubble. 

Bouillonnant, ger. bubbling up, gushing out, spouting. F. bouillonner- 
Bouillonnoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they boiled. F. bouillonner. 
Bouleau, s. m birch, birch tree. 

Bouleversement, s. m. disorder, confusion. * 

Bourdaloue, s. prop. m . Bourdaloue, a very great French orator. 

Bourgeois, s. ra. burgher, citizen, portman, townsman. 

Bourreau, s. m. hangman, executioner, butcher, monster. 

Bourse, s. f. purse, poeket, a purse, (500 half crowns.) 

Bout, s. in. end, object, aim, nonplus, nozzle, bit, piece, boon. 

Branche, s. m. branch, bough, stick, twig, shoot. 

Bras, s. m. sin. or pi. arm, power, courage, authority, hand. 

Brave, a. brave, stout, valiant, courageous, fearless. 

Brave, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I defy, he defies. F. braver. 

Brave, subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he may brave, dare, defy. F. braver. 

Brave-e, part, braved, or defied. F. braver. 

Braver, inf. va. to brave, dare, affront, defy, buffet, out-face. 

Brebis, s.f. a ewe, sheep. Toison de brebis, fleece. 



BUT 



Breche, s.f. breach, aperture, rift, flaw, rupture. 
Brievete, s.f. brevity, conciseness. 
Brigand, s. m. a robber, highwayman. 

Brigue, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I desire, he desires. F. briguer. 
Briguer, inf. va. to canvass, solicit, court, sue earnestly, seek for. 
Brilla, ind. pret. 3 sin. it, he, or she shone. F. briller. 
Brillant-e, a. brilliant, shining, grand, gleaming, radiant. 
Brille, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I shine, or he shines. F. briller. 
Brillent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they shine. F. briller. 
Briller, inf. vn. to shine, sparkle, glitter, glisten, blaze, dawn. 
Brilloient, ind. impf 3 pi. they shone, blazed. F. briller. 
Brise, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I burst, he breaks. F. briser. 
Brise, s.f. breeze, fresh gale of wind, land wind. 
Brise-e, a. broken to pieces, cracked, ruptured, folding, contrite. 
Brise- e, part, broken, cracked, ruptured, folding. F. briser. 
Brisent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they break to pieces. F. briser. 
Broient, ind. pres. 3 pi. they pound, bruise. F. broyer. 
Brouillard, 5. m. mist, fog. U fait du brouillard, it is foggy. 
Broutant, ger. browsing, nibbling, feeding. F. brouter. 
Broutent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they browse. F. brouter, 
Bruissement, s. m. rustling noise, rattling, roaring, clashing. 
Bruit, s. m. noise, ado, bustle, hurry, tumult 
Brulant-e, a. burning, scorching, torrid, eager, ardent, zealous. 
Brule-e, a. burnt, scorched, parched, hot, inflamed. 
Brulent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they burn, scorch. F. bruler. 
Bruler, inf. va. to burn, scorch, parch, inflame, consume. 
Bmloient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they burned. F. bruler. 
Bruloit, ind. impf, 3 sin. he burned. F. bruler. 
Bmlons, imp. 1 pi. let us burn. F. bruler* 
Brusque, a. blunt, abrupt, rough, sturdy, hare-brained, rugged. 
Brutal-e, a. brutal. 

Bruyant, ger. murmuring, making a noise. F. bruyer. 
Buffle, s. m. buffalo, wild ox. 

BufTon, s. prop. m. BufTon, a most eminent French naturalist. 
But, s. m. mark, aim, scope, tendency, business, view. 
16 



182 



CAR 



C. 

C, an abbreviation of ce. 

9a, ad. here, hither ; venez-ga, come hither ; ga el la, here and there 
Cabane, s.f. cot, cottage, hut, hovel, cabin, bed-place. 
Cacha, ind. prct. 3 sin. he or she hid, concealed. F. cacher. 
Cache, ind. or subj.pres. 1 or 3 sin. I conceal, he may conceal. F. 

cacher. 

C&che-e, part, hidden, unpublished, absconded, latent. F. cacher, 

Cacher, inf. va. to hide, conceal, secrete, abscond, mask, cover. 

Cachoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they hid. F. cacher. 

Cacus, s.prop. m. an ancient thief. 

Cadavre, s. m. corpse, dead body, remains, dust, ashes. 

Cadence, s.f. cadence. 

Caillou, s. m. flint, pebble, (a round, hard stone,) rock. 
Calamite, s.f. calamity, distress, adversity, trouble, misery. 
Calcul, s. m. calculation, computation. 
Calcule-e, part, calculated. F. calculer. 
Caligula, s. prop. m. a Roman emperor. 

Calma, ind. pret. 3 sin. he or she appeased, or abated. F. calmer, 
Calme, s. m. calm, quietude, tranquillity, repose. 
Calme, a. calm, quiet, undisturbed, sedate, impassionate. 
Calme-e, part, calmed, appeased, quieted, pacified. F. calmer. 
Calmer, inf. va. to calm, appease, quiet, still, pacify, hush. 
Camille, s. prop. m. Camillus, a Roman general. 
Camp, s. m. camp, (the order of tents placed by armies). 
Campagne, s.f. the country, plain, flat, campaign. 
Candeur, s.f. candor, clearness. 

Canicule, s.f. the dogstar, canicular, or dog days, canicule. 
Canon, s. m. a cannon, a large gun. 
Capable, a. capable. 

Capitaine, s. m. commander, general, governor, chieftain. 
Capitole, s. prop. m. the Capitol. 

Caprice, s. m. caprice, whim, freak, frolick, fancy, humour. 
Captif-ve, a. captivated, allured, enslaved, captive, subdued, gained. 
Car, conj. for, forasmuch as, because, on this account. 
Caractere, s. m. character, type, stamp, hand-writing, mark, quality, 
nature. 



CEL 



183 



Caracterise, ind. pres. 1 sin. I characterise. F. caracteriser. 
Caracteristique, s. m. characteristic, (that forms the character). 
Caracteristique, a. characteristic, (constituting the character). 
Carcajou, s. m. carcajou, (a voracious animal of North America). 
Cardinal-e, a. cardinal, chief, principal. 
Cardinal, s. m. Cardinal, a sort of bird. 
Caressa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he caressed. F. caresser. 
Caressoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they caressed. F. caresser. 
Caribou, s. m. caribou, (a species of deer in North America). 
Carnage, s. m. carnage, slaughter, execution, destruction. 
Carnassier-ere, u. ravenous 3 carniverous, voracious. 
Carquois, s. m. a quiver. 

Carriere, s.f quarry, stonepit, list, course, career, race. 
Cascade, s.f. a cascade, waterfall, cataract. 
Casse-e, pari, broken, cracked, split, dashed. F. casser. 
Casser, inf. va. or vn. to break, crack, dash, split, grow weak. 
Catalina, s. prop. m. Cataline, a famous Roman conspirator. 
Cataracte, s.f cataract, fall of a river, waterfall. 
Catastrophe, s.f. catastrophe. 

Catinat, s. prop. m. Catinat, a famous French general. 

Caton, s. prop. m. Cat©, a celebrated Roman. 

Cause, s.f. cause, author, principle, rise, spring. 

Causer, inf va to cause, occasion, excite, produce, create. 

Cavalerie, s.f. cavalry, horse, men of war on horseback. 

Caverne, s. f eavern, cave, den, groove, vault. 

Ce, dem. pron. m. sin. n. or o. this, that, it, which, what. 

Cede, ind. pres. 3 sin. he yields. F. ceder. 

Ceder, inf. va. or vn. to yield, give up, resign, submit, relinquish, re. 
lax. 

Cela, dem. pron. that, this, it, so. 

Celebra, ind. pret. 3 sin. he celebrated, commended. F celebrer. 
Celebre, a. celebrated, noted, eminent, illustrious. 
Celebre-e, part, celebrated, commended, noted. F. celebrer. 
Celebrer, inf. va. to celebrate, commend, set forth, resound, trumpet 
Celebrite, s. f. celebrity, fame, reputation. 
Celerite, s.f. celerity, rapidity. 

Celeste, a. celestial, heavenly, divine, excellent, blue. 
Celle, dem. pron.f. sin. she, her, she who, or that. 



184 



CHA 



Celui, dem. pron. m. sin. he, him, that, he who, or that. 

Celui-ci, dem. pron. the latter. 

Celui-la, dem. pron. the former, he. 

Cendre, s.f. ashes, remains, dust. 

Censeur, s. m. censor, censurer, comptroller, exploder. 

Cent, a. num. hundred. 

Central, a. central. 

Centre, s. m. centre. 

Cependant, ad. in the mean time, in the mean while. 

Cependant, conj. notwithstanding, yet, nevertheless. 

Ceremonie, s.f. ceremony, formality. 

Certain-e, a. certain, sure, confident, resolved, determined. 

Certain-e, indef. pron. certain, some, a certain one, a certain person. 

Ces, dem. pron. m. or f. pi. these, those, them. 

Cesar, s. prop. m. Coesar, the illustrious Roman general. 

Cesse, s.f. ceasing, (used only with the preposition sans). 

Cesse-e, part, ceased. F. cesser. 

Cesse, ind or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I cease, he may cease F. cesser. 
Cessent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they cease, or may cease. F. cesser. 
Cesser, inf. va. or vn. to cease, to leave off, forbear, desist, end. 
Cesserent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they ceased, terminated. F. cesser. 
Cet, (from ce,) dem. pron. m. sin. this, that, it. 
Cette, dem. pron. f. sin. this, that, it. 
Ceux, dem. pron. m. pi. these, those, they, them, 
Chacun-e, indef pron. every one, each, each one, every body. 
Chagrin, s. m. grief, sorrow, trouble, vexation. 
Chagrin-e, a. fretful, morose, peevish, sad, joyless, pensive. 
Chaine, s.f. a chain. 
Chair, s.f. flesh, meat, lust. 
Chaise, s.f. a chair, seat, timber work, frame. 
Chaleur, s.f. heat, warmth, zeal, eagerness, favour. 
Chalumeau-x, s. m. stalk or stem of corn, straw, pipe. 
Chambre, s.f. chambre, room, lodging, court of justice. 
Champ, s. m. field, piece of ground, meadow. 
Champetre, a. rural, country-like, agrestical, sylvan. 
Chancelant, ger. wavering, staggering, tottering, tottering, fickle. F. 
chanceler. 

Chancelier, s. m. chancellor, (a great magistrate.) 



CHA 



185 



Chancellent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they waver, may stagger. 
chanceler. 

Change, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I change, he may change. F. 
changer. 

Change-e, part, changed, altered, turned. F. changer. 
€hangement, s. m. change, alteration, conversion, variety. 
Changer, inf. va. to change, alter, barter, turn, convert, invert 
Chant, s. m. singing, modulation, strain, song. 

Chante-e,7?arf. sung, carrolled, said, celebrated, praised. F. chanter. 
Chanter, inf. va. or vn~ to sing, carol, say, celebrate, praise, mention. 
Chaos, s. m. chaos, confusion, irregular mixture. 
Chapeau-x 5 s. m. hat, head-piece, cap, head, cover. 
Chapitre, s. m. chapter, subject, matter of discourse, title. 
Chaque, indef pron. each, every. 
Char, s. m. car, chariot, wagoa. 
Charge, s.f. load, lading, office, pack. 

Charge, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I charge, he may charge. F. 
charger, 

Charge-e, part, charged, loaded, burthened. F. charger. 
Charie-e, part, conveyed, hauled, carried in a cart. F. charier. 
Charitable, a. charitable, bountiful, merciful, liberal. 
Charles-Quint, s. prop. m. Charles the Fifth, emperor of Germany. 
Charmant-e, a. charming, delightful, agreeable, lovely, pleasant. 
Charme, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I charm, he may charm. F, 
charmer. 

Charme, 5. m. charm, spell, enchantment, conjuration. 
Charmer, inf. va. to charm, enchant, bewitch, spell, fascinate. 
Charmera, ind. fat 3 sin. he shall or will charm. F. charmer. 
Charnier, s. m. slaughter-house. 
Chassant, ger. pursuing, driving. F. chasser. 
Chasse, s.f hunt, pursuing, hunting, chasing, prosecution. 
Chasse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I hunt, he may pursue. F. chas- 
ser. 

Chateau, s. m. castle, citadel, seat, mansion, villa. 

Chateaubriand, s. prop. m. Chateaubriand, an eminent French writer. 

Chatiment, s. m. punishment, correction, pain, justice. 

Chaud-e, a. hot, warm, burning, fervent, fervid, fierce, 

Chaume, s. m. stubble or straw, thatch, 



16* 



186 



CHO 



Chaumette, s.prop. m. name of a man. 
Chaumiere, s.f. a thatched house, cottage, cabin. 
Chauve, a. bald, bald-pated, peeled, hairless. 
Chef, s. in. a chief, leader. 
Chemin, s. in. way, road, path, track, pass, gait. 
Chene, s. m. oak, oak tree. 

Chercha, ind. pret. 3 sin. he sought, looked for, tried. F. chercher. 
Cherche, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 bin. I seek, he may seek. F. cher- 
cher. 

Cherchent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they seek, or may search. F. cher- 
cher. 

Chercher, inf. va. to seek, to look for, search, pursue, hunt. 

Cherchez, imp. 2 pi. seek (you). F. chercher. 

Cherchiez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you sought, searched. F. chercher. 

Cherchiez (que), subj. pres. 2 pi. you may seek. F. chercher. 

Cherchois, ind. impf. 1 sin. I sought, searched. F. chercher. 

Cherchoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he sought, searched. F. chercher. 

Cher, 5. prop. m. Cher, the name of a river and department in France. 

Cher-ere, a. dear, beloved, costly, chargeable. 

Cheri-e, part, loved, cherished, dear, desired. F. cherir. 

Cheval, s. in. a horse, steed ; unjoli cheval, a fine horse. 

Chevalier, s. in. a knight. 

Chevaux, s. m. (pi. of cheval), horses ; vingt chevaux, twenty horses. 

Cheveu-x, s. m. the hair, hair of the head. 

Chez, prep, at home, at one's house, amongst, at, in, with. 

Chimere, s.f. chimera, idle fancy, whimsey. 

Choc, s. m. a dashing, clashing, collision, shock. 

Chceur, s. in. the choir of a church, choir, chorus. 

Choisi-e, part, chosen, select, voted, named. F. choisir. 

Choisir, inf. va. to choose, create, cull, vote, name. 

Choisit, ind. pres. or pret. 3 sin. he chooses, chose. F. choisir. 

Choix, s. m. choice, choosing, selection, option, pleasure. 

Choquant-e, a. offensive, disagreeble, unpleasant, hateful. 

Choquant, ger. clashing. F. choquer. 

Choquent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they shock, dash, clash, run, stumble. F. 
choquer. 

Choquera, ind.fut. 3 sin. it will shock. 

Chose, s.f. thing, matter, case, business, affair, deed. 



COL 



187 



Chretien-ne, a. christian, relating to Christ. 

Chretiennement, ad. christianly, christian like, like a christian. 

Chute, s.f. down-fall, declension, fall, ruin, decay. 

Ci, ad. here. Ci-dessus, above. Ci-devant, heretofore. 

Ciceron, s. prop, m. Cicero, the Roman orator. 

Ciel, s. m. heaven, sky, firmament, paradise, climate. 

Cieux, s. m. (pi. of ciel), heavens, sky, firmament, air. 

Cime, s.f. the top, or ridge (of a mountain), cap, peak, summit. 

Cimente, ind.pres. 3 sin. he cements. F. cimenter. 

Cimenter, inf. va. to cement, lime, confirm, bind, knit. 

Cinq ; a. num. five, figure of five. 

Cinquante, a. num. fifty. Cinquante hommes, fifty men. 
Circonscrit-e, part, circumscribed. F. circonscrire. 
Circonspect-e, a. circumspect, wary, heedful, discreet, wise. 
Circonstance, s.f circumstance. 

Circulant, ger. circulating, stirring, moving about. F. circuler. 
Circulant-e, a. circulating, running about. 
Circuler, inf. vn. to circulate, stir, move around. 
Cite, s.f city. 

Cite-e, pai t. cited, quoted, alleged. F. titer. 

Citoyen-ne, s. citizen, cit, inhabitant, patriot. 

Civil-e, a. civil, intestine, courteous, well bred, kind, affable. 

Clair-e, a. clear, bright, refulgent, shining, pure, light. 

Clairement, a. clearly, plainly, in a distinct, clear manner. 

Clameur, s. f. clamor, outcry, exclamation, vociferation. 

Clarte, s. f clearness, brightness, light, splendor. 

Classe, s.f class, order, rank, family, species, tribe. 

Clef, s.f key, keystone, a sort of knot, or hitch. 

Clemence, s.f clemency, forbearance, placability, mercy. 

Cleobis, s. prop. m. Cleobis, a youth remarkable for his filial affection,, 

Climat, 5. m. climate, (the temperature of the weather). 

Cloot, s. prop. m. a man's name. 

Club, s. m. club. 

Code, s. m. code, volume of the civil law. 
Coeur, s. m. heart, bosom, breast, love, affection, soul. 
Cohorte, s. f cohort, company, band, crew, gang, troop. 
Coin, s. m. a corner. 

Colere, s.f. anger, passion, choler, incensement, heat. 



188 



COM 



Colibri, s m. humming bird. 

Colombe, s.f a dove, scantling in a partition, pigeon. 
Colonie, s.f colony, settlement, plantation. 
Colonnade, 5./. a colonnade, (a range, or number of pillars). 
Colonnc, s.f. a column, a round pillar, pedestal. 
Coloquinte ; s.f. colocynthis, coloquintida, bitter apple. 
Colore-e, part, coloured, flushed, dyed. F. colorer, 
Coloris, s. m. colouring. 

Combat, s. m. fight, battle, combat, affair, action. 

Combat, ind. pres. or pret. 2 sin, he fights, he fought. F. combattre. 

Combattant, ger. fighting, striving against. F. combattre. 

Combattoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they did fight. F. combattre. 

Combattre, inf. va. to fight, combat, make war, conflict, engage. 

Combien, ad. how much, how many. 

Combinaison, s.f. combination. 

Combine-e, part, combined. F. combiner. 

Combiner, inf. va. to combine. 

Comblant, ger. heaping, loading. F. combler. 

Comble, s. m. the top, ridge of a house, timber work. 

Comble-e, part, heaped up, fulfilled, crowned. F. combler. 

Combler, inf. va. to heap up, make up, fulfil, crown. 

Comblez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you heap, heap (ye). F. combler. 

Comite, s. m. committee. 

Commanda, ind. pret. 3 sin. he commanded. F. commander. 

Commandant, ger. commanding, charging. F. commander. 

Commande, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I command, he may com- 
mand. F. commander. 

Commandement, 5. m. command, order, mandate, charge. 

Commander, inf. va. to command, charge, order, bid ; govern. 

Comme, conj. as, as well as, therefore, when. 

Comme, ad. as, like, almost, as it were, how. 

Commence, ind. pret. 3 sin. he began. F. commencer. 

Commence-e,^?ar£. begun, commenced. F. commencer. 

Commencement, s. m. beginning, commencement, prelude. 

Commencent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they begin. F. commencer. 

Commencer, inf. va. or vn. to begin, commence, offer, spring, open. 

Commencez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you commence, commence (you). 
F. commencer, 



COM 



189 



Comment, ad. how, in what manner, why. 
Commerce, s. m. commerce, trade, traffic, dealing, intercourse. 
Commis-e, part, committed, exposed. F. commettre. 
Commit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he committed. F. commettre. 
Commission, s.f. commission, perpetration, charge, order. 
Commode, a. commodious, convenient, handy, comfortable. 
Commune, a. common, coarse, frequent, usual, general, familiar. 
Communement, ad. commonly, usually, universally, rifely. 
Communiquer, inf. va. to communicate, impart, extend, tell. 
Communiquons, ind. pres. lpl. we communicate, impart. F. commu* 
niquer. 

Compagnon, s. m. companion, comrade. 
Comparaison, s.f. comparison. 

Compare-e, part, compared, likened, assimilated. F. comparer. 

Comparer, inf va. to compare, liken, assimilate, level, parallel. 

Compatissant-e, a. compassionate, piteous, pitiful, humane. 

Compatriote, s. m. or f compatriot, fellow-citizen, countryman. 

Complaisance, s.f kindness, complaisance, compliance, softness. 

Complaisant, a. complaisant. 

Complet-ete, a. complete* 

Complice, s. m. accomplice. 

Complicite, s.f the being an accomplice. 

Complique-e, a. complex, complicated. 

Complot, s. m. complot, confederacy, conspiracy, cabal. 

Compose-e, a. composed, complex, complicate, compound. 

Composent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they compose. F. composer. 

Composer, inf va. to compose, compound, make up, write. 

Comprendre, inf. va. to understand, comprehend, 

Comprimer, inf va. to repress, withhold. 

Compromet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he compromises. F. compromettre, 
Compte, s. m. account, reckoning, calculation, reason, profit. 
Compte, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I count, he may count. F, 
compter. 

Comptent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they reckon. F. compter. 
Compter, inf. va. to count, reckon, tell, number. 
Comptera, ind.fut. B sin. he shall or will count. F. compter. 
Comptoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did reckon or count, F. compter. 
Comte, s. m. count, earl, (a title of nobility). 



190 



CON 



Concentre -e,part. concentrated. F. concentrer. 
Conception, s.f conception. 

Conceit, s. m. concert, music, singing, harmony, consent. 

Concertoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they concerted. F. concerter. 

Concis-e, a. concise, brief. 

Concitoyen, s. m. fellow-citizen, townsman. 

Conclure, inf. va. to conclude, finish, close, end, determine. 

Conclus, ind. pret. 1 sin. I concluded. F. conclure. 

Conceit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he conceives. F. concevoir. 

Concourent, ind. pres. dpi. they concur. F. concourir. 

Concours, s. m. concurrency, concurrence, subserviency. 

Con^u-e, part, conceived, understood, bred. F. concevoir. 

Conceit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he conceived. F. concevoir. 

Conde, s. prop. m. Conde, a very great French prince. 

Condition, s.f. condition, nature, state, case. 

Conduire, inf. va. to conduct, lead, guide ; convey, carry. 

Conduisit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he guided. F. conduire. 

Conduit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he guides. F. conduire. ' 

Conduit-e, part conducted. F. conduire., 

Conduite, s.f. conduct, leading, behaviour. 

Cone, s. m. cone ? a round pyramid in^the form of a sugar loaf, 

Confiance, s. f. confidence, reliance, trust. 

Confiant-e, a. sanguine, confident, self-conceited. 

Confident, s. m. a confidant. 

Confisque-e, part, confiscated, seized upon. F. confisquer. 
Confondent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they confound. F. confondre. 
Confondoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they confounded. F. confondre. 
Confondre, inf. va. to confound, confuse, jumble, mix, mingle. 
Confondu-e, part, confounded, blended, jumbled. F. confondre. 
Conformation, s.f. conformation, accommodation. 
Conformer, inf. va. to conform, suit, square, rule, condescend. 
Conformite, s.f conformity. 

Confus-e, a. confused, confounded, mazy, promiscuous. 
Confusion, s.f. confusedness, confusion, trouble, disorder. 
Congres, s. m. congress. 
Conjuration, s.f. conspiracy. 

Connoisance, s.f. knowledge, apprehension, cognizance, sense. 
Connoissant, ger. knowing, perceiving, being acquainted. F. con- 
noitre. 



CON 



191 



Connoissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they know. F. connoitre. 
Connoissez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you know, know (you). F. con* 
noitre. 

Connoit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he knows. F. connoitre. 
Connoitra, ind. fid. 3 sin. he will know. F. connoitre, 
Connoitre, inf. va. to know, perceive, to be acquainted with. 
Connu-e, part, known, perceived, acquainted. F. connoitre. 
Connus, ind. pret. 1 sin. I knew. F. connoitre. 
Conquerant, s. m. a conqueror. 
Conquete, s.f conquest, victory. 
Conquis-e, part, conquered. F. conquerir. 

Consacre-e, part, consecrated, addicted, dedicated. F. consacrer. 
Consacroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he consecrated. F. consacrer. 
Conscience, s. f. conscience, breast, perception. 
Conseil, s. m. counsel, advice, consultation, council, board. 
Consent, ind. pres. 3 sin. he consents. F. consentir. 
Consequence, s.f. consequence, inference, consequent, result, 
Conserva, ind. pret. 3 sin. he preserved. F. conserver. 
Conservation, s.f. conservation, preservation. 
Conserve, ind. pres. 3 sin. he preserves. F. conserver. 
Conserve-e, part, preserved, conserved. F. conserver. 
Conserver, inf. va. to preserve, conserve, commemorate, reserve. 
Conservez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you preserve, preserve (you). F. 
conserver. 

Conservoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they preserved. F. conserver. 
Conservoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he preserved. F. conserver. 
Considerer, inf. va. to consider, mind, think of, devise. 
Considerez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you consider, consider (you). F, 
considerer. 

Considerons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we consider. F. considerer. 
Consistance, s.f. consistency. 

Consiste, ind. pres. 3 sin. he consists of, rests in. F. consister. 
Consolation, s.f. consolation, comfort, solace, alleviation. 
Consoler, inf. va. to console, comfort, redress, solace, give comfort. 
Consomme-e, part, consummated, completed. F. consommer. 
Conspirateur, s. m. conspirator. 
Conspire r, vn. to conspire. 

Constamment, ad. constantly, steadily, steadfastly, firmly, resolutely. 



192 



CON 



Constance, s.f. constancy, steadiness, perseverance, resolution. 
Constant-e, a. constant, steadfast, persevering, resolute, firm. 
Constantin, s prop. m. Constantine, an eminent emperor of Rome. 
Constellation, s.f. constellation, cluster of fixed stars. 
Consternation, s.f. consternation, amazement, fright. 
Consterne, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I dispirit, he may discourage. 
F. consterner. 

Consterne-e, part, dispirited, astounded, terrified. F. consterner. 
Constituant-e, a. constituent. 
Constitution, s.f. constitution. 

Construit e, part, constructed, completed. F. construire. 
Consulter, inf. va. to consult, turn to, advise, take advice of. 
Consumant-e, a. consuming, devouring, burning. 

Consume, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I consume, he may consume. 

F. consumer. 
Consume-e, part, consumed. F. consumer. 

Consumer, inf. va. to consume, waste, devour, wear, spend, destroy. 
Contagion, s.f. contagion, infection, pestilence, pest. 
Contemplant, ger. contemplating, meditating. F contempler. 
Contemplation, s.f. contemplation. 

Contempler, inf. va. to contemplate, gaze, meditate, behold. 
Contemplons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we contemplate, behold. F. contempler. 
Contemporain, s. m. contemporary. 

Contenance, s.f. content, visage, capacity, countenance. 
Contenir, inf. va. or vn. to contain, hold, inclose, comprehend, com- 
prise. 

Content-e, a. content, contented, pleased, easy, willing. 
Contenter, inf. va. to content, give content, satisfy, feed. 
Contenu-e, part, contained, F. contenir. 
Contiennent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they contain. F. contenir. 
Continu-e, a. continuous, continued. 

Continua, ind. pret. 3 sin. he continued, proceeded. F. continuer. 
Continue-e,^?arZ. continued. F. continuer. 
Continuel-le, a. continual. 
Continuite, s.f. continuity. 
Contour, s. m. contour, winding. 

Contractons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we contract. F. contracter. 
Contrainte, s.f. constraint. 



cou 



193 



Contraire, a. contrary, inconsistent, opposite, abhorrent. 
Contrariete, s.f. contrariety. 

Contraste, s. m. contrast, counterview, similitude, comparison. 
Contre, s. m. con, against, the opposite side of the question. 
Contre, prep, against, contrary to, by, near, in opposition to. 
Contree, s.f. country, region, tract of ]and, soil. 
Contre-temps, s. m. unlucky accident, disappointment, cross. 
Contribua, ind. pret. 3 sin. he contributed. F. contribuer. 
Contribue, ind. pres. 3 sin, he contributes. F. contribuer. 
Convaincre, inf. va. to convince, convict, persuade, satisfy. 
Convaincu-e, part, convinced. F. convaincre. 
Convenable, a. convenient, suitable, fit, proper, opposite, categorical. 
Convenance, s.f. fitness, adaptation, report. 
Convention, s. f. convention. 

Convertir, inf. va. to convert, turn, transmute, change. 
Convulsion, s.f. convulsion, convulsive fit, spasm. 
Cordilieres, s. prop. m. the Andes, a range of mountains in America, 
Corne, s.f. a horn. 

Corps, s. m. body, matter, shape ; corps a corps, hand to hand. 

Corriger, inf. va. to correct, mend, amend, reprove, temper, tutor. 

Corrompu-e, part, corrupted, bribed, immoral. F. corrompre. 

Corrompre, inf. va. to corrupt, bribe, deprave, taint, spoil, pollute. 

Cos, s. prop. m. Stanchio, an island in the Grecian Archipelago. 

Cote, s. m. side, way, row, line, party. 

Coteau-x, s. m. hillock, a little hill. 

Cou, s. m. neck ; se casser le cou, to break one's neck. 

Couche-e, part, in bed, lying, recumbent, set, F. coucher. 

Coucher, inf. va. or vn. to put, or go to bed, lay, lay down, aim at, set. 

Coucher, s. m. setting, rest, going to bed, bed-time, decline. 

Couchoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he went to bed. F. coucher. 

Couci, s. prop. m. Couci, the name of a man. 

Coule-e, part, run, glided, flowed, strained, streamed. F. couler. 

Couler, inf. va. or vn. to flow, run along, slide along, leak, stream, slip. 

Couleur, s.f. colour, varnishing, hue, pigment, paint, tincture. 

Couloient, ind. impf S pi. they ran, glided, flowed along. F. couler. 

Couloit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he ran, glided, it flowed along. F. couler. 

Coup, s. m. blow, knock, stroke, stripe, stab, load. 

Coupable, a. culpable, guilty, in fault, accusable, obnoxious. 



17 



194 



CRA 



Cour, s.f. yard, court, retinue, courtship. 
Courage, s. m. courage, daring, heart, spirit, valour. 
Courageux-se, a. courageous, brave, stout, bold. 
Courant, s. m. current, running stream, running water, tide, instant. 
Courbe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I bend, bow, he may bend. F. 
courber. 

Courbe-e, part, bent, bowed, inflected, crooked. F. courber. 
Courbent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they bend, or may crook. F. cour- 
ber. 

Courber, inf. va. to bend, bow, inflect, crook, stoop, curve, incurvate. 

Courboient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they bent. F. courber. 

Courent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they run, speed, hasten. F. courir. 

Courez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you run, speed, hasten. F. courir. 

Courir, inf. va. or vn. to run, speed, hasten, hunt, pursue, course, sail. 

Couroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he ran, or was running. F. courir. 

Couronne, 5. /. crown, wreath, sovereignty, monarchy, diadem. 

Couronne-e, part, crowned, encompassed, environed. F. couronner. 

Couronnoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they crowned, rewarded. F. couronner. 

Courroux, s. m. wrath, passion, warmth, anger, ire, rage. 

Cours, s. m. course, recourse, running, current, stream. 

Coins, ind. pres. 1 sin. I run. F, courir. 

Course, s.f run, running, race, ramble, round, treat. 

Coursier, s. m. horse, courser, steed, racer. 

Court-e, a. short, compendious, succinct, brief, ready, concise. 

Court, ind. pres. 3 sin. he runs, he hastens. F. courir. 

Courtisan, s. m. courtier, (he who frequents courts,) gallant. 

Coute, ind. pres. 3 sin. it costs, stands in. F. couter. 

Coutelas, s. m. cutlass, hanger, sabre, broad sword. 

Couthon, s. prop. m. Couthon, name of a man. 

Coutume, s.f. custom, habit. 

Couvert-e, part, hid, hidden, secret, covered, secreted. F, couvrir. 
Couvre, ind. pres. 3 sin. he covers, clouds. F. couvrir. 
Couvrir, inf. va. to cover, hide, envelope, lay over, overcast, varnish. 
Craignant, ger. fearing, apprehending, dreading, douting. F. craindre. 
Craignent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they fear, doubt, apprehend. F. craindre. 
Craignez, imp. 2 pi. fear, apprehend, (ye). F. craindre. 
Craignez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you fear, doubt, apprehend. F. craindre. 
Craignit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he feared. F. craindre. 



CRO 



195 



Craindra, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall or will fear, doubt. F. craindre. 
Craindroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should or would fear. F. craindre. 
Craindre, inf. va. to fear, be afraid of, apprehend, doubt, dread. 
Grains, ind. pres. I or 2 sin. I fear, thou fearest. F. craindre. 
Craint, ind. or subj. pres. 3 sin. he fears, or may fear. F. craindre. 
Crainte, s.f. fear, awe, timidity, dread, taking. 
Createur, s. m. creator, maker, God, inventor. 
Creation, s. f. creation, world, promotion, advancement. 
Creature, s.f. creature, person, animal, dependant. 
Credulite, s. m. credulity. 

Cree, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I create, make, t he creates, makes. F.. 
creer. 

Creer, inf. va. to create, make, dub, contract. 

Crepuscule, s. m. crepuscule, twilight, dawn. 

Cresus, s. prop. m. Croesus, an ancient monarch of Lydia. 

Creuse-e, part, dug, hollowed, excavated, sunk. F. creuser. 

Creux, s. m. hollow, hole, cavity, pit, chasm, gutter, dell, mould. 

Cri, s. m. cry, loud voice, yell, out-cry, clamour, vociferation. 

Cria, ind. pret. 3 sin. he cried, screamed, shouted. F. crier. 

die, ind. pres. 3 sin. he or it cries. F. crier. 

Crime, s. m. crime, malefaction, misdeed, guilt. 

Criminel-le, a. guilty, (tainted with crime,) s. criminal, felon, 

Crin, s. m. horse hair. 

Criniere, s.f. a lion's mane, a horse's mane. 
Crise, s.f. crisis, point, extremity, difficulty, dilemma. 
Cristal-aux, s. m. crystal, crystal-glass, transparent matter. 
Ciitique-e, pari, criticised, censured, examined. F. critiquer. 
Crocodile, s. m. crocodile, (an amphibious, voracious animal). 
Croira, ind. Jut. 3 sin. he will believe. F. croire. 
Croire, inf. va. to believe, trust, presume, understand, esteem, 
Croisade, s.f. crusade, (an expedition against the infidels). 
Croissant, s. m. crescent, the moon inher increase. 
Croise-e, part, crossed, intersected, traversed. F. croiser. 
Croisent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they traverse. F. croiser. 
Croissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they grow, or may increase. F. 
croitre. 

Croit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he believes. F. croire. 

Croitre, inf. vn. to grow, grow up, increase, augment, enlarge, shoot. 



196 



DAN 



Cromwell, s. prop. m. Cromwell. 

Croupe, s.f. behind on horseback, ridge, buttock. 

Croyant, ger. believing, trusting, presuming, esteeming. F. croire. 

Croyez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you believe, trust, hope, F. croire. 

Croyez, imp. 2 pi. believe or trust, (ye). F. croire. 

Croyoit, ind. i?npf. 3 sin. he did believe, trust. F. croire. 

Croyons, imp. 1 pi. let us believe. F. croire. 

Cru-e, part, believed. F. croire. 

Cruaute, s.f. cruelty, barbarity, rage, brutality, ferocity. 

Cruche, s.f. jug, pitcher, bottle, dunce, dolt, blockhead. 

Cruel-le, a. cruel, inhuman, grievous, sanguinary. 

Cruellement, ad. cruelly, grievously, sadly, savagely, unmercifully. 

Ciurent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they believed. F. croire. 

Crus, ind. pres. 1 sin. I believed. F. croire. 

Crut, subj. pret. 3 sin. he should believe, could or might trust. F. 

croire. 

Crut, ind. pret, 3 sin. he believed, trusted, thought. F. croire. 
Cueilli-e, part, gathered. F. cueillir. 
Cueillir, inf. va. to gather, crop, cull, pick, collect, pull. 
Culte, s. m. worship. 

Cultivateur, s. m. tiller, husbandman, planter. 
Cultive-e, part, cultivated, tilled, manured. F. cultiver. 
Cultiverons, ind.fut. I pi. we shall cultivate. F. cultiver. 
Culture, s.f. culture, husbandry, dressing, tillage, tilling. 
Cupidite, s.f. cupidity. 
Curieux, a. curious, singular. 

Curiosite, s.f. curiosity, inquisitiveness, rarity, gimcrack. 

Cusco, s. prop. m. Cusco, a large town of Peru, the capital of the Incas. 

Cylindre, s. m. cylindre, cylindrus, roller. 

Cypres, s. m. cypress, cypress tree. 

D. 

D'j an abbreviation of de. 

Daces, s. prop. m. Dacians, an ancient people of Germany. 
Damocles, s. prop. m. Damocles. 

Danger, s. m. danger, peril, inconvenience, risk, hazard. 
Dangereux-se, a. dangerous, perilous, ruinous, hazardous, unsafe. 



DEC 



Dans, prep, in, into, within, about, to down. 
Danse, s.f. dance, dancing. 
Danton, s. prop. m. Danton, name of a man. 
Danube, s. prop. m. Danube, a large river of Europe. 
Dard, s. m. a dart. 

Davantage, ad. more, better, farther, besides, furthermore, moreover. 
De, prep, of, from, by, forth, out of, upon, with, in, for, after, about, to. 
Deborde-e, part, lewd, dissolute, irregular, debauched. F. de- 
border. 

Debout, ad. up, standing, erect. 

Debris, s. m. remains, wreck, ruins, rubbish, fragments. 
Decadence, s.f. decay, ruin, decline. 
Decele, ind. pres. 3 sin. he discloses, reveals. F. deceler. 
Decharge, s.f. unloading, discharge, volley, flight, fulfilment. 
Dechargeant, ger. unloading, discharging, exonerating. F. decharger. 
Dechira, ind. pret. 3 sin. he tore, lacerated, rent. F. dechirer. 
Dechirant, ger. tearing, lacerating, rending. F. dechirer. 
Dechire, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I tear, he may tear. F. de- 
chirer. 

Dechire-e, part, tore, lacerated, rent. F. dechirer. 
Dechirer, inf. va. to tear, lacerate, rend, pull, rip, dismember. 
Decider, inf. va. to decide s determine, resolve, conclude, judge. 
Declarer, inf. va. to declare. 

Declinant, ger. declining, decaying, breaking. F. decliner. 
Decocha, ind. pret. 3 sin. he shot, let fly. F. decocher* 
Decoration, s.f. decoration, embellishment 
Decorent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they decorate, adorn. F. decorer. 
Decorer, inf. va. to decorate, beautify, adorn, embellish. 
Decouragement, s.f discouragement, prostration, dejection. 
Decouvert-e, part, uncovered, unsheltered, detected. F. decouvrir. 
Decouverte, s. m. discovery, reconnoitering, opening, detecting. 
Decouvre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I discover, he may discover 
F. decouvrir. 

Decouvrir, inf. va. to discover, disclose, reveal, uncover, open, rip„ 
Decret, s. m. decree. 

Decrire, inf. va. to describe, represent, define, depict, paint. 
Decrit-e, part, described, represented, defined, depicted. F. decrire 
JDecrit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he represents, describes. F. decrire 

J.,7* 



198 



DEL 



Dedaigna, ind. pret, 3 sin. he despised, disdained. F. dedaigner. 
Dedaigner, inf. va. to disdain, scorn, neglect, despise, disregard. 
Dedaigneux-se, a. disdainful, scornful, despicable. 
Dedain, s. ?n. disdain, scorn, fleer, disrespect, negligence. 
Dedans, a. prep, within, in ; au-dedans, et au dehors, at home and 
abroad. 

Dedommager, inf. va. to indemnify, recompense, make amends. 
Defaillant-e part, adjec. decaying, declining, fainting, falling. 
Defaite,s./. defeat, discomfiture. 
Defaut, s. m. defect, imperfection. 

Defendoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he prevented, defended. F. defendre. 
Defendre, inf. va. to defend, uphold, second, apologise, vindicate. 
Defendu-e, part, defended, upheld, seconded, vindicated. F. defendre. 
Defense, s. f defence, protection, support, patronage, guard. 
Defenseur, s. m. defender. 
Defiance, s.f distrust, suspicion. 

Defigure-e, part, disfigured, deformed, defaced. F. defigurer. 
Degout, 5. m. disrelish, loathing, disgust, distaste, displeasure. 
Degoutant-e, a. disgustful, distasteful, ungraceful, unpalatable. 
Degouter, inf. va. to disgust, distaste, surfeit, displease, disrelish . 
Degouttant, ger. dropping. F. degoutter. 
Degrade, ind. pres. 3 sin. it degrades. F. degrader. 
Degre, s. m. degree, step, period, point, stage. 

Deguise, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I disguise, he may disguise. 
F. deguiser. 

Deguiser, inf. va, to disguise, palliate, misrepresent, conceal/mask. 

Dehors, ad. or prep, out, without, out of doors, abroad, externally. 

Deja, ad. already, ready, before, so soon. 

Delasser, inf. vn. to repose, relax. 

Delegue-e, part, delegated. F. deleguer. 

Deliberation, s.f. deliberation, determination, resolve, counsel. 

Deliberer, inf. va. or vn. to deliberate, advise, determine, resolve. 

Delicat-e, a. delicate, nice. 

Delicatesse, s.f. delicacy. 

Delicieux-se, a. delicious, sweet, sensual, voluptuous, delightful. 
Delie-e, a. small, thin, fine, slender, lank, subtle, flippant. 
Delierent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they untied, loosened. F. delier. 
Delivrance, s.f. deliverance, delivery, release, acquitment. 



DEP 



199 



Delivre-e, part, delivered, released, exempted. F. delivrer. 
Delphes, s. prop. m. Delphos, a great and renowned temple of an- 
tiquity. 
Deluge, s. m. flood, deluge. 

Demagogie, s. f. demagoguery, desire of domineering in a popular 

assembly. 

Demagogue, s. m. demagogue, he that wishes to domineer. 
Demanda, ind.pret. 3 sin. he asked, begged, requested. F. demander. 
Demande, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I ask, or he asks, he may ask, 
F. demander. 

Demandent, ind. or subj. pres. Spl. they ask, or may beg. F. demander. 
Demander, inf. va. to ask, desire, demand, challenge, petition. 
Demandoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did ask, beg, require. F. demander. 
Demandoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they did ask. F. demander. 
Demanderoit, ind. con. 3 sin. he would, could ask. F. demander. 
Demain, ad. to-morrow, the day after the present. 
Demarche, s.f gait, step, proceeding, advance, walk. 
Demesure-e, a. immense. 

Demeure, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. he lives, or may inhabit. 
T 3, s.f. abode, dwelling, lodging, mansion, repair. 

Denu roient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they did dwell. F. demeurer, 
I , a. half, demi, semi, almost. 
Demi ieu-x, s. m. a demi, or half god. 
Denature-e a. unnatural, unkindly, cruel, inhuman. 
Denonciateur, s. m. denunciator, accuser. 
Denouement, s. m. conclusion, developement. 
Dent, s.f. a tooth, a notch. 

Denu6-e, part, adjec. bereft, stripped, left destitute. F. dinner. 
Departement, s. m. departement. 
Depeint, ind. pres. 3 sin. he depicts. F. depeindre. 
Depend, ind. pres. 3 sin. it depends. F. dependre. 
Dependance, s.f. dependence. 

Dependra, ind.fut. 3 sin. it will depend. F. dependre. 

Dependre, inf. vn. to depend. 

Dependu-e,^?ar£. depended. F. dependre. 

Depense, s.f. expense, charges, laying out, disbursement. 

Depit, s. m. anger, spite. 

Deplorable, a. deplorable, deplorate, lamentable, doleful, pitiful. 



20 U DES 

Deplorer, inf. va. to deplore, lament, bewail, moan, mourn. 
Deplorez, ind. pres. or imp. 2 pi. you deplore, lament ye. F. deplorer. 
Deployant, ger. displaying, unfolding, exhibiting. F. deployer. 
Deploye-e, part, displayed, mustered, exhibited, spread. F. deployer. 
Deploye-e, a. unfolded, displayed, opened, full, exhibited. 
Deployer, inf. va. to display, muster, exhibit, expand, spread. 
Depopulation, s.f. depopulation. 

Depouillant, ger. stripping, unclothing, dismantling. F. depouiller. 
Depouille, s. f. spoil, plunder. 

Depouille-e, part, stripped, unclothed, dismantled. F. depouiller. 

Depuis, ad. since. 

Depuis, prep, since, from, after. 

Depute-e, part, adjec. deputed, constituted, delegated. F. deputer. 
Desabuse-e, part, undeceived. F. desabuser. 

Deracine-e, part, rooted out, eradicated, weeded, pulled up. F. dera- 
ciner. 

Derision, s.f. derision, mockery. 

Dernier-ere, a. substan. last, hindmost, extreme, the last, the hindmost. 
Derobe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I rob, plunder, he may rob, steal. 
Derober, inf. va. to rob, steal, pilfer, plunder, purloin, rifle, divest. 
Deroule, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I unrol, he may unfold. F. de- 
rouler. 

Deroulent, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 pi. they unrol, or may unrol. F. 
derouler. 

Derouloient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they did unrol, unfold. F. derouler. 
Deroute, s.f rout, defeat, overthrow, disorder, confusion. 
Derriere, prep, behind, after ; ad. back, behind. 
Des, indef. art. prep, from, since, at. 
Des que, a. as soon as. 

Des, indef. art. of the, from the, some, several, 
Desapprobateur, s. m. disapprover. 
Disapprobation, s.f. disapprobation. 

Desarmer, inf. va. or n. to lay down one's arms, disarm, make peace. 
Desastre s. a disaster, calamity. 
Desastreux-se, a. disastrous, unlucky, dire, dreadful. 
Descends, ind. pres. 3 sin. he descends, goes down. F. descend™. 
Descendent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they descend. F. descendre. 
Descendoit, m<L impf. 3 sin. he descended, came down. F. des- 
cendre. 



DES 



201 



Descendre, inf. va. to descend, go, come, step, get down, bring 
down. 

Description, s.f description, representation, delineation. 
Desert, s. m. a solitary place, solitude, a wilderness, desert. 
Desert- e, a. desert, solitary, wild, unfrequented, lonely. 
Deserte-e,^ar£. depopulated, deserted, forsaken. F. deserter. 
Desertent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they desert. F. deserter. 
Desespere-e, part, despaired, desponded ; desperate. F. desesperer. 
Desesperer, inf. va. or n. to despair, despond, drive to despair. 
Desesperoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he despaired. F. desesperer. 
Desespoir, s. m. despair, desperation, trouble, despondency. 
Designe-e, part, designed, denoted, described. F. designer. 
Designer, inf. va. to design, denote, betoken, describe. 
Desir, s. m. desire, wish, affection, ardour, longing. 
Desirable, a. desirable, delightful, pleasing, to be wished for. 
Desire, ind. or subj, pres. 1 or 3 sin. I desire, he may wish. F. 
desir er. 

Desire-e, part, desired. F. desirer, 

Desirer, inf va. to desire, wish, court, covet, want, long for. 
D^sirent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they desire, may wish. F. desirer. 
Desireroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should or would desire. F. desirer. 
Desobeissance, s.f. disobedience, undutifulness, forwardness. 
Desolation, s.f. desolation, melancholy, destruction, ruin. 
Desole, ind. or subj. pres. 3 sin. I grieve, he may destroy. F. deso* 
ler. 

Desordre, s. m. disorder, confusion, chaos, misorder, ravage, 
Desorganiser, inf. to disorganize, 
Despote, s. m. a despot. 

Despotisme, s. m. despotism, unlimited power. 

Desquels, rel. pron. pi. which, of which, whose, whom. F. lequel. 

Dessein, s. m. design, intention, mind, purpose, intent. 

Dessous, ad. below, beneath ; cela etoit dessous, it was below. 

Dessous, prep, under, below ; dessous la table, under the table. 

Dessus, ad. above, upon ; je vais au dessus, I go above. 

Dessus, prep, on, upon ; dessus le miroir, on the looking-glass. 

Dessus, s. m. the top, or upper part, the upperhand, ascendancy. 

Destin, s. m. destiny, fate, doom, fatality. 

Destination, s.f destination, appointment. F. destiner, 



202 



DEV 



De9tine-e, part, possessed, destinated, appointed. F. destiner. 

Destine-e, s.f. destiny, fate. 

Destructeur- trice, a. deadly, destructive, ruinous. 

Destruction, s.f. destruction. 

Detache-e, part, detached. F. detacher. 

Detacher, inf. va. to detach, separate, part from, loose, unbind. 

Detachiez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you detached. F. detacher. 

Detail, s. m. retail, particulars, an exact account. 

Determine-e, £>ar£. determided, decided, decreed. F. determiner. 

Determiner, inf. va. to determine, decide, decree. 

Determinera, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will determine. 

Detestable, a. detestable, abominable, wretched, odious. 

Detestant, ger. detesting, abhorring, hating. F. detester. 

Detester, inf. va. to detest, abominate, abhor, hate, loath. 

Detourna, ind. pret. 1 sin. I turned aside. 

Detourne, ind. pres. 3 sin. he turns aside. F. detourner. 

Detournant, ger. turning aside, removing. F. detourner. 

Detromper, inf. va. to undecieve, to disabuse. 

Detronent, ind, pres. 3 pi. they dethrone. F. detroner. 

Detruire, inf. va. to destroy, demolish, ruin, abolish, blast. 

Detruisant, ger. destroying, demolishing, ruining. F. detruire. 

Detruisez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you destroy, demolish. F. detruire. 

Detruisirent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they destroyed. 

Detruisit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he destroyed, demolished. F. detruire. 
Detruisons, imp. 1 pi. let us destroy. F. detruire. 
Detruit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he destroys, demolishes. F. detruire. 
Detruit-e, part, destroyed. F. detruire. 

Deuil, s. m. mourning, condolement, lamentation, grief, sorrow. 
Deux, a. num. two. 
Deuxieme, a. second. 

Devance, ind. pres. 3 sin. anticipates. F. devancer. 
Devant; prep, or ad. before, against, over against. 
Devant, ger. owing, being in debt, having to. F. devoir. 
Devaste, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I ravage, he lays waste. F. devaster. 
Developpa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he developed or opened. F. develop- 
per. 

Developpement, s. m, unfolding, developement, elucidation. 
Developper, inf. va. to unfold, unwrap, open, develope, elucidate, display. 



DIF 



203 



Devenir, inf. vn. to become, grow, commence, prove, make. 
Devenoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he became, grew. F. devenir. 
Devenu-e, part, become, grown, commenced, proved. F. devenir. 
Devez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you ought. F. devoir. 
Deviendra, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will become. F. devenir. 
Devient, ind. pret. 3 sin. he becomes, grows. F. devenir. 
Devina, ind. pret. 3 sin. he divined, or predicted. F. devenir. 
Devint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he became, grew. F. deviner. 
Devoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they should, ought to, owed. F. devenir. 
Devoiler, inf. va. to unveil, open, rip, discover, unfold. 
Devoir, s. m. duty, obligation, part, order, homage, reason. 
Devoir, inf. vn. must, ought to, should, to be necessary. 
Devoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he should, ought to, owed. F. devoir, 
Devons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we owe, must, should. F. devoir. 
Devonshire, s. m. Devonshire, a Biitsh vessel of war. 
Devorant-e, a. devouring, ravenous, consuming. 
Devore-e, part, devoured, licked, preyed. F. devorer. 
Devorer, inf. va. to devour, lick up, prey, raven, engorge, glut. 
Devoroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he devoured. F. devorer. 
Devot, s. m. devotee. 

Devouant, ger. devoting, addicting, consecrating. F. devouer. 
Devoument, s. m. devotion. 

Devriez, ind. con. 2 pi. you should, ought to. F. devoir. 

Devrions, ind. eon. 1 pi. we should, ought to. F. devoir. 

Devroient, ind. con. 3 pi. they ought. F. devoir. 

Devroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should, ought to. F. devoir. 

Devrons, ind. fat. 1 pi. we shall have to, we shall owe. F. devoir, 

Diaphane, a. diaphanous, transparent. 

Dicta ind. pret. 3 sin. he dictated. F. dieter. 

Dictateur, s. m. dictator. 

Dicte-e, part, dictated. F. dieter. 

Diction, s,f diction, style, phraseology, language. 

Dieu, s. m. God, the all powerful, infinite, eternal. 

Difference, s.f difference, debate, controversy, quarrel, dispute. 

DifTerent-e, a. different, unlike, separate, distinct, several, various. 

Differer, inf. va. to delay, to retard. 

Difficile, a. difficult. 

Difficulte, s. f. difficulty. 



204 



DIS 



Diffuse, a. diffuse, long, prolix. 

Digne, a. worthy, deserving, deserved, condign, meritorious. 
Dignite, s.f. dignity, worth, greatness, honour, excellency. 
Diminuent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they diminish, abate. F. diminuer. 
Direction, s.f direction. 

Dirige, ind. pres. 3 sin. he directs. F. dinger. 

Diriger, inf. va. to direct. 

Dirigeant, ger. directing. F. diriger. 

Dirigea, ind. pret. 3 sin. he directed. F. diriger. 

Diroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should or would say. F. dire. 

Dis, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I say/ thou sayest. F. dire. 

Dis, imp. 2 sin. tell thou. F. dire. 

Disant, ger. telling, saying, speaking, asserting. F. dire. 

Discernement, s. m. discernment, discerning, distinction. 

Disciple, s. m. disciple, pupil, scholar, student. 

Discordant-e, a. discordant. 

Discorde, s, f. discord, disagreement, variance, disunion. 
Discours, s. m. discourse, speech, dissertation. 
Disette, s.f famine, scarcity, dearth, penury, necessity. 
Disgrace, s.f. disgrace, defamation, frown, displeasure. 
Disois, imp. 2 sin. thou saidst. F. dire. 
Disoit, imp. 3 sin. he said. F. dire. 
Disparate, s.f. incoherence. v 
Disparoit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he disappears. F. disparoitre, 
Disparoitre, inf. vn. to disappear, vanish away, vanish out of sight. 
Disparut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he disappeared. F. disparoitre. 
Dispense-e, part, dispensed with, excused, exempted. F. dispenser. 
Disperse, ind. pres. 3 sin. he disperses. F. disperser. 
Disperse-e, part, dispersed, scattared, dissipated. F. disperser. 
Dispersoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they dispersed, scattered. F. disperser. 
Dispose-e, part, disposed, adjusted, regulated, composed. F. dispo- 
ser. 

Disposition, s.f. disposition, position, order, situation, state. 
Disposoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he disposed. F. disposer. 
Disputer, inf. va. or n. to dispute, contest, contend, quarrel, squable. 
Disputoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they disputed. F. disputer. 
Dissemblance, s.f. dissimilitude, want of resemblance. 
Dissimule-e, a. dissembling. 



DOM 205 

Dissimuler, inf. va. to dissemble. 
Dissention, s.f. dissention. 

Dissiper, inf. va. to dissipate, scatter, dispel, remove, disperse. 

Dissolution, s.f. dissolution. 

Dissonance, s.f. dissonance. 

Distance, s.f distance, remoteness, interval. 

Distinct-e, a. distinct. 

Distinctement, ad. distinctly, distinctively, clearly, plainly. 

Distinction, s.f. distinction, separation. 

Distinguer, inf. va. to discern, distinguish, note, see, mark. 

Distinguera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will distinguish. F. distinguer. 

Distraire, inf. va. to distract, divide, separate, be absent. 

Distribuer, inf. va. to distribute, deal out, divide, disperse, dispose. 

Distribution, s. f. distribution, administration, dispensation. 

Dit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he says, tells. F. dire. 

Dit-e, part, said, told, spoken, asserted, reported. F. dire. 

Dites, ind. pres. 2 pi. you say, speak, assert. F. dire. 

Divers-e, a. divers, diverse, various, several, sundry, different. 

Diversite, s.f. diversity, variety, difference. 

Divin-e, a. divine, godlike, excellent, heavenly, admirable. 

Divisant, ger. dividing, parting, branching. F. diviser. 

Divise, ind. pres. 3 sin. he divides. F. diviser. 

Divise-e, part, divided, parted, separated. F. diviser. 

Division, s.f division, separation. 

Dix, a. num. ten, the figure of ten. 

Docile, a. docile, flexible, good-natured, orderly, teachable. 
Doctrine, s.f doctrine. 
Dogue, s. m. great dog, mastiff. 

Dois, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I owe, I must, thou owest. F. devoir. 
Doit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he owes, he must, he ought. F. devoir. 
Doivent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they owe, ought. F. devoir. 
Domaine, s. m. domain, estate, possession, inheritance. 
Dome, s. m. dome, cupola. 

Domestique, a. subslan. domestic, a servant, menial, domestic. 
Domina, ind. pret. 3 sin. he prevailed. F. dominer. 
Domination, s.f. domination, dominion, rule, power. 
Domine, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I rule, he rules. F. dominer. 
Domine-e, part, domineered, ruled, prevailed. F. domineu 
18 



206 



DRO 



Dominent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they rule, domineer. F. dominer. 

Dompte-e, part, subdued, overcome, conquered. F. dompter. 

Done, conj. then, therefore, accordingly, consequently. 

Donna, ind. pret. 3 sin. he gave, bestowed. F. donner. 

Donne, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I give, he gives. F. donner. 

Donne-e, part, given, bestowed, afforded, allowed. F. donner. 

Donner, inf. va. or vn. to give, bestow, afford, allow, present with. 

Donnera, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will give. F. donner. 

Donnes, ind. pres. 2 sin. thou givest, bestowest. F. donner. 

Donniez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you did give, bestowed. F. donner. 

Donnoit, imp. 3 sin. he gave. F. donner. 

Donnons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we give, bestow. F. donner. 

Dont, rel. pron. o. whose, whereof, of which, of whom, for whom. 

Dore-e, part, gilt, gilt over, gilded. F. dorer. 

Dorenavant, ad. henceforth, hereafter, for the future. 

Dorent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they gild, gild over. F. dorer. 

Donnoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he slept, fell asleep. F. dormir. 

Dos, s. m. the back. 

Double, a. double. 

Douce, a.f. sweet, mild. F. doux.} 

Doucement, ad. sweetly, gently, softly, leisurely, silently, kindly. 

Douceur, s.f. sweetness, softness, delight, gentleness. 

Doue-e, part, settled upon, endowed, bestowed upon. F. doner. 

Douleur, s.f. ache, anguish, pain, soreness, suffering, torture. 

Douloureax-se, a. painful, smarting, grievous, afflictive. 

Doute, s. m. doubt, doubtfulness, hesitation, uncertainty. 

Doute, ind. pres. 3 sin. he doubts. F. douter. 

Doute-e, part, doubted, questioned, scrupled. F. douter. 

Douter, inf. vn. to doubt, question, scruple, demur, hesitate. 

Doutez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you doubt. F. douter. 

Doutons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we doubt. F. douter. 

Doux-ce, a. sweet, mellifluous, soft, easy, pleasant, mild, 

Douze, a. num. twelve, twelfth. 

Dragon, s. m. dragoon, dragon. 

Drapeau, s. m. standard, rag, flag. 

Dresser, inf. va. or vn. make straight, erect, set up, raise. 
Droit-e, a. straight, right, direct, plumb, dextral, upright. 
Droit, s. m. or f. right, reason, justice, 



ECH 



207 



Droite, s.f the right hand, the right wing. 

Du, def art. m. o. of the, from the, by the, in the, some. F. le, the. 
Du-e, part, owed, bound, been in debt. F. devoir. 
Du-e, part, must, should, ought to. F. devoir. 
Due, s. m. duke, horn-owl. 

Due d'Orleans, (Ze,) s.prop. m. Duke of Orleans. 
Duel, s. m. duel, prey, encounter, fight. 

Duguay-Trouin, s. prop. m. Duguay-Trouin, a French admiral. 
Dupe, s.f. a dupe. 

Duquel, pron. pos. of lequel, of whom or which. 
Dur-e, a. hard, unrelenting, cruel, unmerciful. 
Dure, inf. pres. 3 sin. lasts, continues. F. durer. 
Durable, a. durable, lasting, constant, livelong, solid. 
Durant, prep, during ; durant sa vie, during his life. 
Duree, s.f. duration, continuance, permanency. 
Dut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he ought. F. devoir. 

E. 

Eau-x, s.f. water, sea, river, lake, pond, rain. 
Ebauche, ind. pres. 3 sin. he sketches. F. ebaucher. 
Ebloui-e, part, dazzled. F. eblouir. 
Eblouissant, ind. pres. 3 pi. they dazzle. F. eblouir. 
Eblouissant-te, a. dazzling, glaring, beguiling, tempting. 
Ebranle, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I shake, he may shake. F. 
ebranler. 

Ebranle-e, part, shaken, moved, staggered. F. ebranler. 
Ebranler, inf. va. to shake, move, stagger, frighten. 
Ecaille, s.f. scales, shells, peelings, flakes. 
Ecart, s. m. separation, deviation. 

Ecarte-e, part, dispersed, scattered, removed. F. ecarter. 
Ecarter, inf. va. to disperse, drive away, scatter, remove, deviate. 
Echafaud, s. m. scaffold. 

Echappe-e, part, escaped, avoided, shunned, fled. F. echapper. 
Echapper, inf. va. to escape, avoid, shun, fly, get away. 
Echappoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they escaped. F. echapper. 
Echo, s. m. echo. 



208 



ECR 



Echouer, inf. va. or vn. to run aground, fai,l shipwreck. 
Eclair, s. m. lightning, a flash of lightning. 

Eclaircir, («',) inf. vr. orvn. to grow light, be day-break, become clear. 
Eclaircit, ind. pres. or pret. 3 sin. he explains, he explained, enlightens. 

F. eclaircir. 

Eclaire, ind. pres. 3 sin. he enlightens. F. eclairir. 
Eclaire-e, part, enlightened, illuminated, clarified. F. eclairer. 
Eclairent, ind. or subj.pres. 3 pi. they enlighten, or may clarify. F. 

eclairer. 

Eclairer, inf. va. to enlighten, illuminate, undeceive, unblind, clarify. 
Eclat, s. m. shiver, splinter, shatter, brightness, clearness, light. 
Eclatant-e, a. bright, sparkling, glittering, pompous, brilliant. 
Eclate, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. it bursts or may burst. 
Eclipse, s.f. an eclipse, subterfuge, diminution. 
Eclorre, inf. vn. to hatch, open, blow, bud, shoot. 
Eclos-e, part, adjec. hatched, blowed, opened, budded. F. eclorre. 
Ecole, s.f. school. 

Economie, s.f. economy, husbandry, management, frugality. 
Ecorche-e, part, flayed, skinned, fretted. F. ecorcher. 
Ecossois-e, a. substan. Scotch, Scot, a Scotch-man or woman. 
Ecoule-e, part, run, flowed out, slided, slipped away. F. ecouler. 
Ecoulent ; ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they flow, or may drain. F. ecou- 
ler. 

Ecoutai, ind. pret. 1 sin. I listened. F. ecouter. 
Ecoute -e, part, heard, hearkened, listened. F. ecouter. 
Ecoutent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they hear, or may hear. F. ecou- 
ter. 

Ecouter, inf. va. to hear, hearken, listen, attend, give ear, overhear. 
Ecoutez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you hear, or hearken ye. F. ecou- 
ter. 

Ecrieront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will cry out. F. eerier. 
Ecrire, inf. va. to write, compose, advise, indite. 
Ecrit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he writes, spells, composes. F. ecrire. 
Ecrit, s. m. writing, composition, instrument, scripture. 
Ecrit-e, part, writ, written, spelled, composed. F. ecrire. 
Ecriture, s. f. writing, hand, hand writing, scripture. 
Ecrivain, s. m. a writer. 

Ecrivent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they write. F. ecrire. 



EGA 



209 



Ecueil, s. m. rock, sand (in the sea,) quicksand, shelf. 
Ecumant-e, a. or ger. foaming, frothing, floating, skimming, F. hu- 
nter. 

Ecume, s. f. foam. 

Ecumeux-se, a. frothy, nappy, yeasty, foaming. 
Ecureuil, s. m. a squirrel. 

Ecuyer, s. m. armiger, esquire, squire, master of horse, rider. 
Eden, s.prop. m. Eden, a name the holy scriptures give to Paradise. 
Edifice, s. m. edifice, building. 

Edile, s. prop. m. Edile, a name given to a Ruman magistrate. 
Edit, s. m. edict, proclamation, decree, placard. 
Education, s.f. education, breeding, manners, discipline. 
Efface, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I deface, or he may deface. Fo 
effacer. 

Efface"-e, part, defaced, blotted out, erased, effaced. F. effacer. 
Effacer, inf. va. to deface, blot out, strike out, erase, efface, eclipse. 
Effacez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 per. pi. you deface, blot out, erase. F 
effacer. 

Effa^oit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he effaced. F. effacer. 
Effa^ons, imper. 1 pi. let us efface. F. effacer. 
Effet, s. m. effect, consequence, purpose, result, fruit, product. 
Efficace, a. efficacious. 

Efforca, (s%) ind. pret, 3 sin. he strained, endeavoured. F. s^effor- 
cer. 

Efforce, ind. pres. 3 sin. he endeavours. F. efforcer. 
Effort, s. m. effort, endeavour, stretch, violence, labour. 
Effraie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I frighten, or he may frighten, 
F. effrayer. 

Effrayant-e, a. frightful, fearful, dreadful, tremendous, grim. 

Effraye-e, part, frighted, frightened, terrified. F. effrayer. 

Effrayer, inf. va. to fright, frighten, scare, terrify, appal, fray, startle, 

Effrene-e, a. unbridled, unrestrained. 

Effroi, s. m. fright, terror, dread, consternation, 

Effroyable, a. frightful, hideous horrid, dreadful, terrible, horrible. 

Egal, a. substan. equal, adequate, immaterial, an equal, fellow, match, 

Egalement, equally, alike, uniformly, impartially. 

Egaler, inf. va. to equal. 

Egalite, s.f. equality, parity, conformity. 

18* 



210 



ELO 



Egard, s. m. regard, consideration, respect, tenderness. 

Egare-e, jpart. bewildered, misled, misguided. F. egarer. 

Egarer, inf. va. to mislead, misguide, bewilder, mislay. 

Eglise, s.f. church, sanctuary, temple. 

Egorge, ind. pres. 3 sin. he slaughters. F. egorger. 

Egorger, inf. va. to cut the throat, slaughter, butcher, kill. 

Egypte, s.prop.f. Egypt, the name of a countiy in Africa. 

Eh, inter, oh, ha, well, what. 

Elan, s. m. alee, elk (a quadruped), jerk, leap. 

Elanga, ind. pret. 3 sin. rushed. F. elancer. 

Elancent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they shoot, flfng, jerk. F. elancer. 

Elancer, (s%) inf. vr. to shoot, plunge into, give a jerk, rush upon. 

Elasticite, s.f. elasticity, tone. 

Electoral-e, a. electoral. 

Elegant-te, a. substan. elegant, handsome, polite, a handsome, wo- 
man. 

Elephant, s. m. an elephant, (the largest quadruped). 

Elevation, s.f. elevation, lifting up, rising, lofty situation. 

Eleve-e, part, brought up, educated, exalted. F. elever. 

Eleve-e, a. grand, elevated, heroic, eminent, stately. 

Eleve, ind. subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I raise, he may raise. F. clever. 

Elevent, ind. or subj. 3 pi. they raise, they may raise. F. elever. 

Elever, inf. va. to bring up, educate, raise, exalt, elevate, aggrandize. 

Elever, (s%) inf. vr. to arise, rise, ascend, mount, rebel, blister. 

Elevera, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will raise. F. elever. 

Eleviez, ind. impf 2 pi. you raised up, exalted. F. elever. 

Elevoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he raised, exalted. F. elever. 

Elle-s, per. pron. she, her, it, they, them. 

Elocution, s.f. elocution, strain, utterance, expression. 

Eloge, s. m. eulogy, praise, commendation, eulogium, celebration. 

Eloigna, ind. pret. 3 sin. he removed. F. eloigner. 

Eloignant, ger. removing, absenting, banishing. F. eloigner. 

Eloigne, ind. pres. 3 sin. removes, withdraws. F. eloigner. 

Eloigne-e, part, removed, absent, loosed, wide, banished. F. eloigner. 

Eloignement, s. m. removal, remove, absence, separation, recess. 

Eloigner, (s',) inf. vr. to go away, go from, deviate, retire, withdraw. 

Eloquence, s.f eloquence, oratory, elocution. 

Eloquent-te, a. eloquent, fluent. 



EMP 



211 



Email-aux, s. m. enamel, smalt, dutch blue, colours. 
Embarquent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they embark, or ship. F. embarquer 
Embarrasse-e, j9art. embarrassed, incumbered. F. embarr asset. 
Embaume-e, part, embalmed, perfumed, scented. F. embaumer. 
Embelli-e, part, embellished, beautified, decorated. F. embellir. 
Embellir, inf. va. to embellish, beautify, decorate, adorn, enrich. 
Embellira, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall or will embellish. F. embellir. 
Embellit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he embelishes. F. embellir. 
Embellissoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he embellished. F. embellir. 
Embleme, s. m. emblem, device,, type, hieroglyphic. 
Embouchure, s.f. the mouth of a river, mouth, method of filling a flute. 
Embrasement, s. m. conflagration. 

Embrasent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they burn, or kindle. F. embraser. 
Embrassent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they embrace, or may embrace- 
Embrassant, ger. embracing, clasping, embosoming. F. embrasser. 
Embrasser, inf. va. to embrace, clasp, encompass, comprise, contain. 
Embuche, s.f. ambush, a secret undertaking. 
Emeut, ind. pres. 3 sin. he moves, stirs up. F. emouvoir. 
Emeute, s.f. tumult, sedition. 
Eminemment, ad. eminently. 

Emotion, s.f. emotion, perturbation, trouble, discomposure. 
Emousse-e, part, blunted, dulled. F. emousser. 
Emouvoir, inf. va. to stir, to move, agitate, provoke, affect, mollify. 
Emparant, (s',) ger. invading, seizing, securing. F. s' emparer. 
Empare, ind. pres. 3 sin. takes possesion. F. emparer. 
Empare-e, (s%) part, invaded, seized, secured. F. s' * emparer. 
Emparer, (s 5 ,) inf. vr. to invade, seize, secure, take possession of. 
Empeche-e, part, hindered, prevented, prohibited. F. empecher. 
Empecher, inf. va. to hinder, prevent, prohibit, restrain, supersede. 
Empereur, s. m. emperor, the chief of an empire. 
Empire, s. m. empire, monarchy, government, authority. 
Empiree, s. m. the empyrean, the highest heaven. 
Emploi, s. m. use, application, employ, office, occupation. 
Emploire, ind. pres. 3 sin. he employs. F. employer. 
Employe-e, part, used, employed, engaged, bestowed. F. employer. 
Employer, inf. va. to employ, use, spend, bestow, engage, occupy. 
Emporte, ind. pres. 3 pi. sin. he transports or carries away. F. em- 
porter. 



212 



ENF 



Emporter, inf. va. to carry off, hurry, transport, excel, prevail. 

Emporterez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall cany off. F. emporter. 

Empourpre-e, a. red, purple, purpled. 

Empreint-e, part, imprinted, stamped. F. empreindre. 

Empreinte, s. f. stamp, print, impression, image. 

Empresse, ind. pres. 3 sin. he is eager or forward. F. empresser. 

Empressement, s. m. eagerness, forwardness, haste, ardour. 

Emprunte, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. he borrows. F. eniprunter. 

Emprunte-e, part, borrowed, loaned, desumed. F. eniprunter. 

Emu-e, part, moved, agitated, provoked. F. emouvoir. 

Emulation, s. f. emulation. 

En, prep, to, at, like, out of, through, into, by, for, in. 
En,rel.pron. of him, her, it, for him, her, them, with him, about 
him. 

Enceinte, s.f. enclosure, circuit. 

Enchaine, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I chain, he may chain. F. 

enchainer. 

Enchaine-e, part, enchained, fettered, connected. F. enchainer. 
Enchainer, inf. va. to chain, enchain, fetter, connect. 
Enchainoit, ind. impf 3 sin. enchained. F. enchainer. 
Enchantement, s. m. enchantment, charms, fascination. 
Enchanter, inf. va. to enchant, charm, bewitch, fascinate, spell. 
Enchanteresse, s.f. a bewitching wowan, enchantress, charmer. 
Enchanteur-ress, a. charming, bewitching, enchanting. 
Enchanteur, s. m. a bewitching man, enchanter, sorcerer. 
Encore, ad. yet, as yet, still, again, another time. 
Encourage, ind. pres. 3 sin. he encourages. F. encourager. 
Endormi-e, part, lulled, asleep, coaxed, soothed. F. endormir. 
Endroit, s. m. part, place, bit, side, advantage. 
Endurcissement, s. m. hardness, obstinacy. 
Enee, s, prop. m. -^Eneas, a Trojan prince. 
Energie, s.f. energy. 

Enfance, s.f. infancy, childhood, babyhood. 
Enfant, s. m. or s.f. a child, issue. 
Enfers, s. m. pi. hell. 
Enfin, ad. in fine, at last, in short. 

Enflamme-e, part, kindled, fired, incensed, provoked. F. enflam- 
mer. 



ENT 



213 



Enflammer, (s\) inf. vr. to be kindled, to be enflamed, catch fire. 
Enfle, ind. pres. 3 sin. swells. F. enfler. 
Enfonce-e, part, beaten, driven, forced, sunk. F. enf oncer. 
Enfoncent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they drive, or may drive. F. en- 
foncer. 

Enfoncer, inf. va. to beat, drive, force, pull, sink, ram. 
Enfoncer, ($',) ind. pres. 3 sin. sinks. 

Enfuit, (s',) ind. or subj. pret. 3 sin. he fled, or might flee. F. s'en- 
fuir. 

Engage, ind. pres. 3 sin. he pledges. F. engager. 
Enghien, (le due d'-) s.prop. m. the duke of Ehghien. 
Engloutir, inf. va. to swallow up, absorb, ingulph, poison, infect. 
Engraissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they fatten, fertilize. F. engraisser. ' 
Enleve-e, part, carried away. 
Enlevent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they raise. F. enlever. 
Enlever, inf. va. to lift, heave up, raise, carry off, blow up. 
Enivre, ind. pres. 3 sin. he intoxicates. F. enivrer. 
Enivre-e, part, inebriated, drunk, infatuated. F. enivrer. 
Ennemi-e, s. m. or f. enemy, foe, adversary, opposer, hater, 
Ennemi-e, a. hostile, inimical. 

Enorgueillir, inf. va. to make proud, elate, flush, elevate, puff up. 
Enorme, a. enormous, excessive, huge, immoderate, exorbitant. 
Enrichissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they enrich. F. enrichir. 
Enrichit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he enriched, adorned. F. enrichir. 
Enseigne, ind. or subj. pres. 1 sin. I instruct. F. enseigner. 
Enseiguement, s. m. documents, instruction, information. 
Ensemble, ad. together, complexly, conjointly, all at once. 
Ensemble, s. m. the whole. 

Ensuite, ad. or prep, afterwards, then, subsequent, immediately after. 
Entamerez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you will cut. F. entamer. 
Entasse-e, part, heaped, accumulated, hoarded. F. entasser. 
Entasser, inf. va. to heap, accumulate, hoard, pile, stock. 
Entend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he hears, listens. F. entendre. 
Entendent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they hear, or may hear. F. en- 
tendre. 

Entendez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you hear, understand. F. entendre. 
Entendit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he heard, understood. F. entendre. 
Entendoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he heard. F. entendre. 



214 



ENT 



Entendre, inf. va. to hear, understand, comprehend, expect, intend. 
Entends, ind. pres. 1 sin. I hear. F. entendre. 
Entendu-e, part, heard, understood, comprehended. F. entendre. 
Entier-ere, a. entire, whole, full, broad, complete, utter, total. 
Entierement, ad. entirely, quite, altogether, completely. 
Enthousiasme, s. m. enthusiasm, rapture, ecstacy. 
Entoure-e, part, surrounded, encompassed. F. entourer. 
Entrailles, s.f.pl. entrails, intestines, inward parts. 
Entrainant, ger. dragging along, training, carrying away. F. en- 
trainer. 

Entraina, ind. pret. 3 sin. he carried away. F. entrainer. 
Entrame, ind. pres. 3 pi. he carries away. F. entrainer . 
Entiaine-e, part, carried away, hurried, along, trained, drove. F. en- 
trainer. 

Entrament, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they hurry along. F. entrainer. 
Entrainer, inf. va. to drag, hurry along, train, draw, carry away, drive. 
Entrainoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he carried away. F. entrainer. 
Entrant, ger. entering, walking in, piercing. F. entrer. 
Entre, prep, between, betwixt, among, amongst, into. 
Entre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I enter, he may [enter. F. en- 
trer. 

Entre-e, part, entered, walked in, pierced. F. entrer. 
Entrecoupe-e, part, traversed, crossed, stopped. F. entrecouper. 
Entree, s.f. entry, entrance, access, door, inlet, avenue. 
Entrelace-e, part, interlaced, intermixed, twisted. F. entrelacer. 
Entrelacent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they interweave. F. entrelacer. 
Entreprendre, inf. va. to undertake, attempt, enterprise, offer. 
Entrepris-e, part, undertaken, attempted, designed. F. entreprendre. 
Entreprise, s.f. enterprise, attempt, undertaking, design. 
Entrer, inf. vn. to enter, come in, get in, go in, walk in. 
Entretint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he conversed. F. entrer. 
Entretien, s. m. conversation, company. 
Entre tiennent, (quHls,) imp. 3 pi. let them entertain. 
Entriez, subj. pres. 2 pi. you should enter. F. entrer. 
Entrouvrant, ger. opening but a little, half way. F. entrouvrir. 
Entrouvre, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin, I open but a little. F. entrouvrir. 
Entrouvrir, inf. va. to open but a little, half way, to rive. 



EPR 



215 



Entrevoir, inf. va. to have but a glimpse of, peep in, discover but 
little. 

Enveloppa, ind.pret. 3 sin. he wrapped up, covered. F. envelopper. 
Enveloppe-e, part, enveloped. F. envelopper. 
Enveloppant, ind. pres. 3 pi. they envelope. F. envelopper. 
Envelopper, inf. va. to wrap up, cover, envelope, muffle, enclose, 
Envers, prep, towards. 

Envi, (a /',) ad. with emulation, vying with each other in. 
Envie, s.f. envy, spite, enviousness, grudging, mind, desire. 
Environne-e, part, environed, encompassed. F. environner. 
Environnent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they environ. F. environner, 
Environnez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you environ. F. environner. 
Environs, s. m. pi. environs, prep, about. 

Envoie, ind. or subj, pres. 1 or 3 sin. I send, or he may send. F, 
envoyer, 

Envoie, (quHl,) imp. 3 sin. let him send, convey. F. envoyer. 

Envoya, ind. pret. 3 sin. he sent, conveyed, despatched. F. envoyer 

Envoy e-e, part, sent, remitted, conveyed, despatched. F. envoyer, 

Envoyoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did send, convey. F. envoyer, 

Epais-se, a. thick, big, fat, coarse, squab, bushy, shady. 

Epaisseur, s.f. thickness, crassitude, density. 

Epanouissement, s. m. cheerfulness. 

Epars-e, a. scattered, dispersed. 

Epaule, s.f. the shoulder. 

Epee, s.f the sword, steel, sabre. 

Epineux-se a. thorny, intricate. 

Epier, inf. va. to spy, watch, observe, espy, pry into. 

Eplore-e, a. all in tears, bathed in tears, bursting into tears. 

Epoque, s.f epoch, epocha, era. 

Epouse, s.f. spouse, bride, wife. 

Epouvantable, a. dreadful, frightful, horrid, horrible, terrible. 

Epouvante, ind. pres. 3 sin. he frightens. F. epouvanter. 

Epouvantc, s.f fright, alarm, consternation, terror. 

6pouvante-e, part, frightened, terrified, intimidated. F. epouvanter, 

ISpoux, $. m. spouse, husband. 

Epreuve, s. f. trial, experiment, attempt, affliction. 

Eprouva, ind. pret. 3 sin, he experienced, tasted. F. eprowoer. 

3&prouver, inf va, to make the trial, experience, examine, prove. 



216 



EST 



Epuisa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he emptied, exhausted. F. epuiser. 
£puisent, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. they empty. F. epuiser. 
Epuise-e, part, emptied, drained, exhausted, wasted. F. epuiser. 
Epure-e, part, refined. F. epurer. 
Equivoque, a. equivocal. 

Erable, s. m. maple, the maple tree, whitten tree. 

Errie, s. prop. m. Erie, a lake in Canada, in North America. 

Erigerai, ind.fut. 1 sin. I will erect, raise. F. eriger. 

Erostrates, s.prop. in. Erostratus, an ancient, who, to immortalize him- 
self, set on fire the temple of Diana. Those who, in our days, wish 
to transmit their names to posterity by any unworthy actions are cal- 
led after Erostratus. 

Errant-e, a. wandering, vagrant, going up and down. 

Errant, ger. erring, wandering, rambling. F. errer. 

Errer, inf. vn. to err, wander, ramble, straggle, peragrate, stray. 

Erreur, s.f. error, mistake, fault, slip, delusion. 

Eruption, s.f. erpution, efflorescence, breaking out. 

Escaladent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they scale. F. escalader. 

Esclavage, s. m. slavery, bondage, slavishness, servility. 

Esclave, s. in. or f. slave, captive. 

Espace, s. in. space, distance, interval, vacuum, place. 

Espagne, s.prop.f. Spain, a large region in Europe. 

Espagnol-e, a. substan. Spanish, a Spaniard. 

Espece, s.f. species, sort, kind, race, tribe, gender. 

Esperance, s.f. hope, expectation, promise, trust. 

Esperant, ger. hoping, expecting. F. esperer. 

Esperer, inf. va. or vn. to hope, hope for, expect, trust. 

Esprit, s. m. spirit, demon, genius, mind. 

Essai, s. m. essay, experience, experiment, attempt. 

Essaya, ind. pret. 3 sin. he endeavoured. F. essayer. 

Essayer, inf. va. to try, essay, offer, experiment, experience, assay. 

Essayerai, ind.fut. 1 sin. I will tiy, essay. F. essayer. 

Essayerois, cond. 1 sin. I should try. F. essayer. 

Essentiel-le, a. essential. 

Essor, s. m. flight, soaring, outleap, range, hovering. 
Est, ind. pres. 3 sin. he, she, or it, is. F. etre. 
Estimable, a. estimable, valuable, recommendable, considerable. 
Estimant, ger. estimating, appraising, valuing. F. estimer. 
Estime, s.f. esteem, regard, account, respect, honour, 



ETO 



217 



Estime-e, part, estimated, valued, esteemed, honoured. F. estimer. 
Estimer, inf. va. to estimate, value, appraise, esteem, honour, regard. 
Et, conj. and, both. 

Etabli-e, part, established. F. etablir. 
Etablir, inf. va. to establish. 

Etablira, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will establish. F. etablir. 

Etalent, ind. or subj. pres. S pi. they displayed. F. Staler. 

Etaler, inf. va. to display, muster, hold forth, hang out for sale. 

Etang, s. m. pond, fish pond, pool. 

Etat, s. m. state, case, condition, point, predicament. 

£tats-Unis (les), s. prop. m. The United States. 

Ete, s. m. summer. 

Ete, part. been. F. Stre. 

Eteignit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he extinguished. F. eteindre. 
Eteindre, inf. va. to put out, quench, extinguish, exterminate. 
Eteinte-te, part, put out, extinguished, extinct. F. eteindre. 
Etend, ind. or subj. pres. 3 sin. he spreads, extends. F. eteindre. 
Etendant, ger. spreading, stretching, extending. F. eteindre. 
Etendre, inf. va. to spread, stretch, extend, promote, propagate. 
Etendue, 5./. extension, extent. 

Etendu-e, part, spread, stretched, promoted. F. eteindre. 
Eternel-le, a. substan. eternal, endless, everlasting, perpetual. 
Eternellement, ad. eternally, everlastingly, perpetually, evermore 
Eterniser, inf. va. to eternize. 

Eternite, s.f. eternity, everlastingness, sempiternity. 

Etes, ind. pres. 2 pi. you are. F. Stre. 

Etiez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you were. F. Stre. 

Ethiope, s. prop.f. Ethiopia, a large kingdom in Africa, 

Etincelant-e, a. sparkling, brilliant, twinkling, bright. 

Etincelant, ger. sparkling, brightening. F. etinceler. 

Etincelle, s.f. spark, flash of fire, scales of hot iron. 

Etinceler, inf. vn. to sparkle, lighten, brighten, gleam. 

Etoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they were. F. itre. 

Etois, ind. impf. 1 or 3 sin. I was, he was. F. etre. 

Etoile, s.f a star, orb, fate, destiny, blaze. 

Etoit, ind pres. 3 sin. he, she, or it, was. F. etre. 

Etonna, ind. pret. 3 sin. he astonished. F. etonner. 

Etonnant, a. amazing, surprising, astonishing, wonderful, 



19 



218 



EXC 



Etonne, ind. pres. 3 sin. he astonishes. F. etonner. 

Etonne-e, part, amazed, surprised, astonished. F. etonner. 

Etonneinent, s. m. astonishment, amazement, wonder. 

Etonner (s'), inf. vr. to be astonished, concerned, to marvel. 

Etonner, inf. va. to astonish, amaze, surprise, startle, stupify. 

Etouffer, inf. va. to choke, stifle, smother, suffocate, extinguish. 

Etourdi-e, a. substan. giddy, heedless, thoughtless, inconsiderate, rash. 

Etrange, a. strange, foreign, alien, exotic. 

Etranger-ere, a. substan. strange, foreign, a stranger, foreigner. 

Etre, inf. vn. to be. 

Etre, s. m. the being, the existence. 

Etroitement, a. closely. 

Etude, s.f. study, application, learning, office. 

Etudier, inf. va. to study, consider, read, meditate, compose, observe. 

Eu, part. had. F. avoir. 

Euphrate, s.prop.f. the river Euphrates. 

Europe, s. prop.f. Europe. 

Eussent, subj. pret. 2 pi. they might have. F. avoir. 
Eut, ind. or subj. prei. 3 sin. he had, he may have. F. avoir. 
Eux, pr on. per s. them, they. 
Eux-memes, rel. pron. themselves. 
Euxine, s.prop.f. the Euxine or Black Sea. 
Evanouiront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will disappear. F. evanouir. 
Evanouissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they faint, vanish. F. s'evan- 
ouir. 

Evanouit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he faints, disappears. F. s' evanouir. 
Eveiller, inf. va. to wake, couse, call up, quicken, brisk up. 
Evenement, s. m. event, end, issue, incident, ocurrence. 
Eventail, s. m. a fan, sea fan, sea feather. 
Eveque, s. m. bishop. 

Eviter, inf. va. to avoid, shun, escape, evade, decline. 
Eviterez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall avoid. F. eviter. 
Exageie-e, part, exaggerated, magnified. F. exagerer. 
Exagere, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I exaggerate, or he exagge- 
rates. F. exagerer. 
Exageroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he exaggerated. F. exagerer. 
Examiner, inf. va. to examine, to make inquiry, to view, search. 
Excede-e, part, exceeded, surmounted, overdone. F. exceder. 



EXP 



219 



Exceder, inf. va. to exceed, surmount, overdo, pass, tire, travel. 
Excellence, s.f. excellence. 

Exceller, inf. vn. to excel, to be eminent, surpass, surmount, transcend. 

Excepte,^ep. except, save, but, besides, only. 

Exception, s.f exception, corrective, reserve, distinction. 

Exces, s. m. excess, exorbitance, extremity. 

Exciter, inf. va. to excite, provoke, stimulate, urge, abet. 

Excitoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they provoked. F. exciter. 

Excitoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he provoked. F. exciter. 

Excusa, part, excused. F. excuser. 

Excuse, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he excuses. F. excuser. 
Excusez, ind. impf. 2 pi. excuse you. F. excuser. 
Executa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he executed, performed. F. executer. 
Execute-e, part, executed, performed, accomplished. F. executer. 
Executer, inf. va. to execute, perform, accomplish, enact, exert. 
Execution, s.f. execution. 
Exemple, s. m. example, pattern, model. 
Exempt-e, a. exempt, exempted, free from, devoid, void. 
Exercer, inf. va. to exercise, train up, practise, execute. 
Exercise, s. m. exercise, practice, 
ExerQoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he exercised. F. exercer. 
Exhalant, ger. exhaling, casting, casting forth, casting up. F. exhaler. 
Exhaler, inf. va. to exhale, cast, cast forth, cast up, reek, vent out. 
Exhaloient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they exhaled. F. exhaler. 
Exigeoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he exacted, required. F. exiger. 
Exil, s. m. an exile, banishment, deportation, relegation. 
Existence, s.f. existence, being, subsistence, substance. 
Exister, inf. vn. to exist, be existing, be in being, consist. 
Exorde, s. m. exordium, beginning, first part. 
Experience, s.f. experience, experiment, trial, skill, proof. 
Expier, inf. va. to expiate, atone for, pay for, redeem, propitiate. 
Expire, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I expire, he expires. F. expi- 
rer. 

Expire-e, part, expired, died, run out, ended. F. expirer. 
Expirer, inf. vn. to expire, breathe the last, die, run out, end. 
Expiroient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they expired. F. expirer. 
Explique, ind. pres. 3 sin. I explain. F. expliquer. 
Exploit, s. m, exploit, achievement, feat, deed, performance* 



220 



FAI 



Exposa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he exposed, laid before. F. exposer. 
Expose, ind. pres. 3 sin. he exposes. F. exposer. 
Expose-e, part, exposed, represented, displayed. F. exposer. 
Exposera, ind. fut. 3 sin. he will expose. F. exposer. 
Expressif-ve, a. expressive. 

Expression, s.f. wringing, straining, expression, term, elocution. 
Exprime, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I express, he may express. 

F. exprimer. 

Exprime -e 9j parf. wrung, expressed, uttered, explained. F. exprimer. 
Exprimer, inf. va. to explain, express, utter, describe, touch, speak. 
Exprimoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they expressed. F. exprimer. 
Exprimoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he expressed. F. exprimer. 
Exquis-e, a exquisite, excellent. 

Exterieur-e, a. exterior, external, outward, overt, seeming. 
Exterminateur, s. m. exterminator. 
Extermination, s.f. extermination. 

Extraordinaire, a. extraordinary, unusual, miraculous, strange. 
Extreme, a. extreme, utmost, exceedingly great, excessive. 
Extremite, s.f. extremity, brink, border, brim, rim, extreme. 

F. 

Fable, s.f. fable, apologue, mythology, legend, romance, story. 
Fabuleux-se, a. substan. fabulous, fictitious, romantic, a fictitious tale. 
Face, s.f. face, visage, countenance, front, state, condition. 
Facile, a. easy, facile, condescending, complying, tractable. 
Facilite, s.f. facility, ease, easiness, indulgence, tractableness. 
Facon, s.f. manner, way. 
Faction, s.f. a faction. 
Faculte, s.f. faculty. 

Fade, a. insipid, unsavory, watery, tasteless. 
Faiin, s.f. hunger, appetite, stomach. 

Faire, inf. va. to do, create, make, bear, exert, construct, frame. 
Faisant, ger. making, doing, creating, exerting. F. faire. 
Faisceau, s. m. bundle, faggot. 

Faisoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they made, constructed. F. faire. 
Faisoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he made, did, created. F. faire. 



FEI 



221 



Faisons, imp. 1 pi. let us make. F. faire. 

Fait, ind. pres. 3 sin. he makes, does, creates. F. faire. 

Fait-e, part, made, done, created, exerted, constructed. F. faire, 

Faite, s. m. top, height. 

Fait, s. m. fact, matter of fact, act, deed, business, case. 
Faites, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you make, make you. F. faire. 
Falloit, ind. impf 3 sin. it must, was necessary. F, falloir. 
Fallut, subj. pres. 3 sin. it might be or was necessary. F. falloir. 
Fameux-se, a. famous, famed, celebrated, renowned, noted. 
Famiiiarite, s.f. familiarity. 

Famille, s.f. family, kindred, progeny, clan, race. 
Familier-ere, a. familiar, free, intimate, conversant, conversable. 
Famine, s.f. famine, dearth, scarcity. 
Fanatisme, s. m. fanaticism. 

Fantastique, a. fantastic, fantastical, idle, chimerical. 

Fantome, s. m. phantom, spectre, apparition, vision. 

Fardeau-x, s. m. burden, load, weight, burdensomeness, charge. 

Farouche, a. wild, austere, severe, unsociable, untractable. 

Fassent, subj. pres. 3 pi. they may make. 

Faste, 5. m pomp, ostentation, magnificence, grandeur. 

Fastes, s. m. the fasti, calendar of the ancient Romans, annals. 

Fatal-e, a. fatal, fated, unlucky, unhappy, deadly, ruinous. 

Fatigue, s.f. fatigue, toil, hardship, pain, lassitude. 

Fatiguent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they tire, or may tire. F. fatiguer, 

Fatigue-e, part, fatigued, tired, wearied, spent. F. fatiguer. 

Faudra, ind. fat. 3 sin. it will be necessary. F. falloir. 

Faussement, a. falsely. 

Faut (il), ind. pres. 3 sin. it must, is necessary. F. falloir. 

Faute, 5./. fault, mistake, defect, error, blemish. 

Faveur, s.f. favour, kindness, courtesy, benevolence. 

Fayel, s. prop. m. Fayel, name of a man. 

Fee, s.f. fairy, goblin, ghost. 

Fecond-e, a. fecund, fruitful, productive, prolific. 

Feconde-e, part, fertilized. F. feconder. 

Fecondite, s.f. fecundity, copiousness, fertility, rankness. 

Federaliste, s. m. federalist. 

Feignant, ger. feigning, dissembling, pretending. F. feindre, 
Feignis, ind. pret. 1 or 3 sin. I feigned, pretended. F. feindre, 

19* 



222 



FIL 



Feindre, inf. va. to feign, pretend, dissemble, devise, forge. 
Felicite, s.f. felicity, bliss, beatitude, happiness. 
Femme, s.f. woman, dame, mate, a married woman, wife. 
Fendant, ger. cleaving, slitting, splitting. F. fendre. 
Fenelon, s. prop. m. Fenelon, a very eminent French archbishop. 
Fer, s. m. iron, a well known metal. 

Fera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall do, make, construct. F. faire. 
Fermai, ind. pret. 1 sin. I shut. F.fermer. 
Ferme, a, firm, steady, fast, fixed, settled, constant. 
Ferme-e, part, shut, fastened; obstructed, closed. F.fermer. 
Ferme, ind. or subj, pres. 1 or 3 sin. I shut, he may shut. F.fer- 
mer. 

Fermer, inf. va. to shut, close, obstruct, fasten, enclose, encompass. 
Feroce, a. ferocious, fierce, wild, brutish, savage, cruel. 
Ferocite, s.f. ferocity. 

Feroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he would, or could make. F. faire. 

Feront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they shall make, or do. F. faire. 

Fertilisent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they fertilize. F. fertiliser. 

Fertilite, s.f. fertility, fecundity, fruitfulness, richness. 

Festin, s. m. feast, banquet. 

Fete, s.f. holiday, festival, festivity, feast. 

Fetide, ad. fetid, nidorous, stinking, rank. 

Feu-x, s. m. fire, wild fire, flame, passion, love. 

Feuillage, s. m. leaves, leaved branches, foliage. 

Feuille, s.f. leaf, blade, sheet, foil. 

Fiction, s.f. fiction, falsehood, story, device, cheat, flam. 

Fidele, ad. substan. loyal, true, trusty, faithful, sincere, honest. 

Fie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I intrust, he may intrust. F. fier. 

Fier, inf. va. to intrust, confide, charge, place. 

Fier-ere, a. proud, high-spirited, haughty, vain, stout, lofty. 

Fierte, s.f. pride, haughtiness, arrogance, loftiness. 

Figue, s.f. fig. 

Figure, s.f figure, form, shape, physiognomy. 

Figurer, inf.va. to figure, represent, rank, express. 

Figurez, imp. 2 pi. imagine ye. F. figurer. 

Fil, s. m. thread, edge. 

Filial-e, a. filial, dutiful, merciful, tender. 

Fille, s.f. girl, lass, servant, daughter, maid, maiden lady. 



FLO 



Fils, s. m. son, child. 

Fin, s.f. end, conclusion. 

Fin-e, a. fine, delicate, excellent. 

Finesse, s.f. ingenuity, delicacy, fineness, smartness. 

Fini-e, part, finished, ended, completed, out. F. finir. 

Finir, inf. va. to finish, complete, perfect, end, accomplish. 

Firent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they made, did. F.faire. 

Firmament, s. m. firmament, the sky, heaven. 

Fis. ind. pret. I or 2 sin. I made, thou madest, or didst. F. faire. 

Fit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he made, or did. F. faire. 

Fixe, a. fixed, settled, steady, certain, stable, determined. 

Fixe-e, part, fixed, settled, ascertained, bent. F. fixer. 

Fixer, inf. va. to fix, settle, ascertain, bend, conclude, determine. 

Flacille, s. prop. m. Flacille. 

Flambeau-x, s. m. flambeau, link, luminary, torch. 

Flamme, s.f. flame, blaze, glow, fire, streamer, wimble. 

Flanc, s. m. flank, side. 

Flatte, ind. pres. 3 sin. he flatters. F. flatter. 

Flatte-e, part, flattered, complimented, pleased. F. flatter. 

Flatter, inf. va. to flatter, compliment, please, sooth, court. 

Flatter (se), inf. vr. to flatter one's self. 

Flatteur-se, a. substan. flattering, a flatterer, complimenter. 

Flattoit, ind. impfi 3 sin. he flattered. F. flatter. 

Flavien, s. prop. m. Flavian, a bishop of Antioch. 

Fleau-x, s. m. flail, scourge, plague, the beam (of scales). 

Fleche, s.f. an arrow, bolt, reed, shot, spire, shaft. 

Flechir, inf. va. to bend, submit, soften, move to pity, persuade, 

Flechit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he bends, submits. F. flechir. 

Fletrir, inf. va. or vn. to fade, diy up, decay, wither, droop, tarnish. 

Fleur, s.f flower, blow, bloom, blossom. 

Fleuve, s. m. a river, a great river. 

Flocon, s. m. flake, flock, tuft, ball, heap. 

Floride, s. prop.f. The Floridas, countries of North America. 

Florissant-e, a. flourishing, in great repute, brilliant, happy. 

Flot, s. m. wave, flood. 

Flottant-e, a. floating, hulling, irresolute, wavering, buoyant. 
Flotte, s.f. fleet, navy, armada, shipping. 

Flotter, inf. va. to float, hull, overfloat, waft, buoy, be water-borne. 



224 



FOR 



Foi, s.f. faith, belief, word, parole, promise, credit. 
Foible, a. weak, feeble, faint, soft, sick, impotent, languid. 
Foiblesse, s.f. weakness, feebleness fainting, languor. 
Fois, ad. time ; une fois, once. 

Fol-le, a. mad, distracted, insane, foolish, wild, lunatic. 
Folie, s.f. madness, folly, lunacy, frenzy, mania. 
Fonction, s.f. function, duty, part, exercise, occupation. 
Fond, s. m. bottom, ground, stay, estate, inside, entrails. 
Fondement, s. m. foundation, basis, ground, root. 
Fondent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they build, they may build. F. fon- 
der. 

Fonder, inf. va. to lay the foundation, build, erect, found. 
Fondu-e, part, cast, melted. F. fondre. 
Font, ind. pres. 3 pi. they make, do, construct. F. faire. 
Fontaine (de la), s. prop. ?n. Fontaine, an eminent French fabulist. 
Fontanes, s.prop. m. a French writer. 
Fontenelle, s. prop, m. Fontenelle, a great French writer. 
Force, s. f. force, strength, might, faculty, robustness. 
Force, ind. pres. 3 sin. he forces. F. forcer. 
Force-e, part, forced, compelled, constrained. F. forcer. 
Forcer, inf. va. to force, compel, constrain, strain, violate, enforce. 
Foret, s.f. forest, wood, wild, desert. 
Forfait, s. m. crime, ofTence, trespass, transgression. 
Formalite, s.f form, formality, ceremony, proceeding. 
Formant, ger. forming, framing, moulding. F. former. 
Forme, s.f. form, shape, figure, make, mould, frame. 
Forme, ind. or subj. pres. I or 2 sin. I form, he may form, improve. 
F. former. 

Forme-e, part, formed, shaped, figured, moulded, educated. 
Forment, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they form, they may form. F. for- 
mer. 

Former, inf. va. to form, frame, fashion, mould, shape. 

Former (se), inf. vr. to be made, formed, be bred, arise, improve. 

Formidable, a. formidable, fearful. 

Formoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they formed. F. former. 

Fort, ad. very, extremely. 

Fort-e, a. strong, stout, mighty, powerful, violent, nervous. 
Fortement, ad. strongly, vigorously, with force, mightly, stoutly. 



FRA 



225 



Fortifie, part, fortified. F. fortifier. 

Fortifie, ind. pres. 3 sin. he fortifies. F. fortifier. 

Fortifier, inf. va. to fortify, strengthen, corroborate, comfort. 

Fortuite, a. fortuitous, accidental. 

Fortune, s.f. fortune, fate, chance, luck, hazard; mean. 

Fortune-e, a. fortunate, lucky, happy. 

Foudre, s. m. or s.f thunder, thunderbolt, lightning. 

Fougue, s.f violence, fury. 

Fouille, ind. pres. 3 sin. he searches or examines. F. fouiller. 
Foule, 5./. crowd. 

Fouler, inf. va, to tread, stamp, trample upon. 

Fouquier-Tinville (le tribunal de), s.prop. m. Fouquier-Tinville's tri- 
bunal. Fouquier-Tinville was the president of the revolutionary 
tribunal. 

Fournirent, ind, pret. 3 pi. they furnished. F.fournir, 
Fournit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he furnishes. F.fournir. 
Foyer, s. m. hearth, fire. 

Fracas, s. m. a great crash, noise, havock, or bustle. 

Fracasse-e, part, shattered, splintered. F.fracasser. 

Fragile, a, fragile, brittle, frail, uncertain, weak, crimp. 

Fragilite, s.f fragility, brittleness, frailty, uncertainty. 

Fraiche, a.f cool ; fresh, recent, young, good-looking. 

Fraicheur, s.f. coolness, cool, recency, freshness. 

Frais, a. cool, fresh, cold. 

Fraise, s.f strawberry, rufT, tippet. 

France, s.prop. m. France, a country in Europe. 

Franc,ois-e, a. French, relating to France. 

Francois-e, a. substan. a Frenchman, a French woman. 

Frappant, ger. striking, battering, slapping. F.frapper. 

Frappant-e, a. striking, battering, astonishing.' 

Frappe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I strike, it may strike. F. 
frapper. 

Frappe-e, part, struck, battered, slapped, vibrated. F.frapper. 
Frappent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they strike, or may strike. F.frap- 
per. 

Frapper, inf. va. to strike, smite, slap, batter, tap, rebound, vibrate. 

Frapperent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they struck. F. frapper. 

Frappez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you strike, smite, slap. F.frapper. 



226 FUN 



Fraternel-le, a. fraternal, brotherly, lovingly, kindly. 
Fraternisoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they lived like brothers. F. fraterniser. 
Frayeur, s.f. fright, terror, dread, appalment, fear. 
Frein, s. m. bit, horse-bit, bridle, curb, fillet, check. 
Fremir, inf. vn. to shudder, tremble for fear, shiver with horror. 
Fremissant, ger. shuddering, trembling for fear, quaking. F. fremir. 
Fremisse, subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he may tremble, quake. F. 
fremir. 

Fremit, ind. pres. 3 sin, tremble, quake with horror. F. fremir. 
Frequentation, s.f frequenting, going often, resorting. 
Frequent-e, a. frequent. 
Frele, a. fragile, frail. 
Frere, s. m. brother. 

Fribourg, s. prop. m. Fribourg, a large town in Germany. 
Frissonant, ger. shivering, quaking, shuddering. F. frissonner. 
Frissonne-e, part, shivered, quaked, shuddered. F. frissoner. 
Frissonner, inf. vn. to shiver, quake, shudder, tremble. 
Frivole, a, frivolous. 

Froid, s. m. cold, coldness, dullness, chill, bleakness. 
Froid-e, a. cold, bleak, dead, cool, languid, demure, shy. 
Froidement, ad. in a cold condition, coldly, frigidly, sternly, faintly. 
Froideur, s.f. coldness. 

Froissement, s. m. collision, clash, crash, crush, dash. 
Froment, s. m. wheat. 

Front, s. m. forehead, face, front, boldness, impudence. 
Frotte-e,^?ar£. rubbed, mopped, scoured, grated. F. fr otter. 
Frottement, s. m. friction, rubbing. 
Fruit, s. m. fruit, product, child, rent, revenue, income. 
Fugitif-ve, a. fugitive, flighty, a fugitive, rebel. 
Fui-e, part, fled, run away, escaped, delayed, put off. F. fair. 
Fuient, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they flee or fly, may flee or fly. F. 
fair. 

Fuis, ind. pres. 1 sin. I fly. F. fair. 

Fuit, ind. pres. or pret. 3 sin. he flees or flies, he fled. F. fair. 
Fuite, s.f. flight, escape, running away avoidance. 
Fumant, ger. smoking, reeking, steaming, fuming. F. fumer. 
Fumee, s.f. smoke, vapour, reek, air, wind, vain hope. 
Funebre, a. funeral, funereal, dark, dismal, disastrous. 



GEM 



227 



Funeste, a. fatal, melancholy, sinistrous, destructive, dismal. 

Furent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they were. F. etre. 

Fureur, s.f. fury, rage, frenzy, madness. 

Furie, s.f. fury, violent passion, fierceness, franticness. 

Furieux-se, a. substan. furious, mad, raging, a mad man or woman. 

Fussent ; subj. pret. 3 pi. they might be, or were. F. etre. 

Fut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he was. F. etre. 

Fut, subj. pret. 3 sin. he might be. F. etre. 

Fuyant, ger. fleeing, escaping delaying, avoiding. F.fuir. 

Fuyez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you flee or fly, escape. F. fuir. 

Fuyoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they fled. F.fuir. 

Fuyoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he fled. F.fuir. 



G. 

Gabrielle de Vergi, s.prop.f. a woman's name. 

Gage, s. m. pawn, pledge, badge, deposit, testimony. 

Gagnant ; ger. getting, gaining, obtaining, enticing. F. gagner. 

Gagnent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they gain. F. gagner. 

Gagner, inf. va. or vn. to get, gain, win, obtain, entice, reach, spread. 

Gagnera, ind. fut. 3 sin. he shall gain, get, win. F. gagner. 

Gai-e, a. gay, cheerful, merry, frolicsome, facetious, gladsome, 

Galanterie, s.f. gallantry, genteel behaviour, amour. 

Garant, s. in. warrant, security, guarantee. 

Garda, ind. pret. 3 sin. he kept, guarded, preserved. F. garder. 
.Garde, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I keep, he may preserve. F. 
garder. 

Garde, s. m. or f. guard, defence, escort, watch, keeper, warder. 

Garder, inf. va. to keep, preserve, guard, defend, lay by, preserve. 

Gardien-ne, s. m. or f. keeper, guardian, guarder. 

Gaulois, s. prop. m. pi. the Gauls. 

Gazon, s. m. turf, green turf, grass. 

Gazouillement, s. m. the warbling of birds, singing. 

Gemis, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I moan, thou meanest. F. gemir. 

Gemissant, ger. groaning, lamenting, moaning. F. gemir. 

Gemissement, s. m. groan, lamentation. 

Gemit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he groans, laments, moans. F. gemir. 



228 



GLO 



General-aux, s. m. general, leader, chief, commander. 
General-e, a. general, national, public, undisguised, universal. 
Generalement, ad. generally, in general, universally. 
Gene*ralite, s.f generality. 

Generation, s. f generation, propagation, race, descent. 

Genereux-se, a. generous, munificent, beneficent, noble, brave. 

Generosite, s.f. generosity, generousness, greatness of soul. 

Genie, s. m. genius, goblin, spirit. 

Genou-x, s. m. the knee, a crooked piece of timber. 

Genre, s. m. genus, kind, species, sort, gender. 

Gens, s. m. collec. people, men, folks, hands. 

Gentil-homme, s. m. one nobly descended, gentleman. 

Gerbe, s.f. a sheaf, a bundle of cut wheat. 

Germanie, s. prop. m. Germany. 

Germe, s. m. a young bud, shoot, sprout. 

Germera, ind.fut. 3 sin. it will spring, shoot up. F. germer* 

Gesner, s. prop. m. Gesner, a Poet. 

Gesler, 5. prop. m. Gesler, a Swiss tyrant. 

Geste, s. m. gesture. 

Gironde (la), a. a faction headed by the Girondins. 

Girondin (le parti), s.f. the party of the Girondins. The word Giron- 

din is derived from a Department which was called Department 

of the Gironde. 
Glaca, ind. pret. 3 sin. he froze. F. glacer. 
Glace, s.f. ice, glass, ice-cream. 

Glace-e, part, frozen, chilled, glazed, congealed. F. glacer. 
Glacer, inf. va. to freeze, chill, glaze, congeal, turn into ice. 
Gla^on, s. m. a piece of ice, heap of ice, icicle. 
Gladiateur, s. m. a gladiator. 
Glaive, s. m. sword, sabre, steel, cutlass, scimitar. 
Glisse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I slip, he may slip. F. glisser. 
Globe, s. m. globe, sphere, orb, fire-ball. 
Gloire, s.f. glory, fame, credit, pomp, vanity, heaven. 
Glorieusement, ad. gloriously, honorably, commendably. 
Glorieux, a. substan. proud, ostentatious, a boaster, vaunter. 
Glorifie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I glorify, he may glorify. F. 
glorifier. 

Glorifier, inf. va. to glorify, to give glory to, praise, honour. 



GRO 



229 



Gonfle-e, part, swelled, puffed, filled with wind. F. gonfler. 

Gouffre, s. m. gulph, abyss, pit, whirlpool, swallow. 

Gourmander, inf. va. to snap up, chide, check, snub, abuse, reprove. 

Gout, s. m. taste, savour, palate. 

Goute-e, part, tasted, relished, savoured. F. gouter. 

Gouter, inf. va. to taste, relish, savour, approve, try, like. 

Gouverna, ind. pret. 3 sin. he governed. F. gouverner. 

Gouvernement, s. m. government, command, governance. 

Gouverner, inf. va. or vn. to govern, rule, command, control, reign. 

Gouverneur, s. m. governor, president, master, comptroller. 

Grace, s.f. favour, kindness, acceptableness, grace, mercy. 

Gracque, s. prop. m. Gracchus, a Roman Consul. 

Gradation, s.f. gradation. 

Grand, s. m. greatness, sublimity, nobleness, majesty. 

Grand-e, a. great, grand, high, huge, lofty, handsome, excellent. 

Grandeur, s.f. tallness, largeness, size, greatness, grandeur. 

Grappe, s.f. bunch, or cluster. 

Gratien, s.prop. m. Gratian, a man's name. 

Gratuitement, ad. gratuitously, gratis, freely, frankly. 

Gravant, ger. engraving. F. graver. 

Grave, a. heavy, serious, grave, solemn, sober, weighty, deep. 
Grave-e, part, engraved, insculped, entailed, implanted. F c graver. 
Graver, inf. va. to character, insculp, entail, implant, grave, engrave. 
Gravite, s.f. gravity, heaviness, seriousness, solemnity. 
Gre, s. m. accord, will, consent, liking, mind, pleasure. 
Grec-que, a. substan. Greek, Grecian, a Greek. 
Grece, s. prop, f Greece, a large country in Europe. 
Grimpent, ind. or subj.pres. Spl. they climb up. F. grimper. 
Gris-e, a. grey or gray, tipsy. 

Grondent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they growl, murmur. F. gronder. 
Gros-se, a. big, great, huge, massy, stout, corpulent, pregnant. 
Grosseur, s.f. bigness, largeness, size, bulk, grossness. 
Grossier-ere, a. coarse, thick, lumpish, clumsy, rough. 
Grossierete, s.f. coarseness, asperity, rudeness, rusticity. 
Grossir, inf. vn. to grow large, increase. 
Grossit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he increased. F. grossir. 
Grotte, s.f. grotto, grot, cave, cavern. 
Groupe-e, part, grouped. F. grouper, 

20 



230 



HAR 



Groupe, s. m. group, knot of figures, cluster, complication. 
Guerre, s.f. war, warfare, conflict, struggle. 
Guerrier-ere, a. warlike, warfaring, martial. 
Gueule, s.f. mouth, chaps, throat, gluttony. 
Guide, s. m. a guide, leader, guider, director, tutor, rein. 
Guide, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I guide, he may guide. F. gui- 
der. 

Guide-e, part, guided, led, conducted, steered. F. guider. 

Guider, inf. va. to guide, lead, bring, conduct, act, steer. 

Guillaume Tell, s.prop. m. William Tell, the liberator of Switzerland. 

H. 

Habile, a. able, fit, clever, ingenious, skilful, learned, excellent. 
Habilite, s.f. ability, being qualified. 
Habillement, s. m. clothes, garment, dress, garb, apparel. 
Habit, s. m. a suit of clothes, dress, garb, habit, coat, array. 
Habitant-e, a. substan. an inhabitant, inhabiter, dweller, tenant. 
Habitation, s.f. habitation, abode, house, colony, plantation. 
Habite, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I inhabit, he may inhabit. F, 
habiter. 

Habi te-e, part, inhabited, dwelled, lived, abided. F. habiter. 

Habitoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he dwelled, inhabited. F. habiter. 

Habitude, s.f. habit, custom, use, manner, habitude. 

Habituel-le, a. habitual. 

Hagard-e, a. wild, fierce, haggard, staring. 

Haine, s.f. hatred, hate, spleen, animosity, enmity, detestation. 

Ha'it, ind. or subj. pres. 3 sin. he hates, he may hate. F. hair, 

Haleine, s.f. breath, wind, air, respiration, breathing. 

Harangue, s.f. speech, preaching, lecture, oration, harangue. 

Hardi-e, a. bold, daring, impudent, strenuous, fearless, audacious. 

Hardiesse, s.f. boldness, confidence, assurance, presumption. 

Hardiment, ad. boldly, freely, fearlessly, courageously, confidently. 

Harmonie, s.f. harmony, concord, agreement, music. 

Harmonieux-se, a. harmonious. 

Harmonique, a. harmonious, harmonic. 

Harpe, (de la), s. prop. m. La Harpe, a French critic. 



HON 



231 



Hasard, s. m. hazard, chance, accident, random. 
Hate, s.f. haste, hurry. 

Hate, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I haste, he may haste. F. hdter. 

Haut, s. m. height, elevation, top. 

Haut-e, a. high, tall, upper, great, haughty, tight. 

Haut, ad. highly, high, aloud, loud, out. 

Hauteur, s.f. height, altitude, eminence, elevation, latitude. 

Hebert, s. prop. rn. name of a man. 

Hecatombe, 5./. hecatomb. 

Helas, interj. alas, oh, well-a-day. 

Helve tien, s. m. Helvetian or Swiss, inhabitant of Switzerland. 
Helvetique, a. Helvetic, relating to Switzerland. 
Hemisphere s. m. hemisphere, the half of the globe. 
Hemon, s. prop. m. name of a man. 
Herbe, s.f. grass, herb. 

Herisse-e, part, bristled up, raised on end. F. herisser. 
Herodote, s.prop. m. Herodotus, an ancient historian. 
Heroine, s.f heroine, heroical woman. 
Heroique, a. heroic, heroical, illustrious, great, magnificent. 
Heroisme, s. m. heroism. 

Heron, s. m. heron, hern, a large bird that lives on fish. 
Heros, s. m. hero, champion. 
Heme, s.f. hour. 

Heureux-se, a. happy, fortunate, prosperous, kind, excellent. 

Heurtent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they strike, may strike. F. heurter* 

Heurter, inf. va. vn. or vr. to dash, hit, knock, strike, interfere, jostle. 

Hideux-se, a. hideous, horrible, frightful, grisly, dreadful. 

Hippocrate, s. prop. m. Hippocrates, the most ancient physician. 

Hippolyte, s. prop. m. Hippolytus, a man's name. 

Histoire, s.f. history, story, record. 

Historien, s. m. historian. 

Hiver, s. m. winter, winter season. 

Hollande, s. prop. m. Holland. 

Homme, s. m. a man, mankind, mortal, body. 

Homicide, s. m. a homicide, murderer, manslayer, assassination. 

Honnete, a. honest, virtuous, decent, fine, handsome, mild, genteel. 

Honneur, s.f honour, reverence, virtue, fame, praise, esteem. 

Honore, ind. pres. 1 sin. I honour or reverence. F. honorer, 



232 



IGN 



Honorer, inf. va. to honour, reverence, dignify, revere, venerate. 
Honte, s.f shame, confusion, disgrace, reproach, scandal. 
Honteux-se, a. ashamed, bashful, abashed, shameful, base. 
Horizon, s. m. horizon, the line that terminates the view. 
Horreur, s.f. horror, dread, fear, abomination, detestation. 
Horrible, a. horrible, horrid, hideous, frightful, dreadful. 
Horriblement, ad. horribly, hideously, frightfully, strangely. 
Hors, prep, out, past, but, except, save, excepting. 
Hote, s. m. landlord, host, inn-keeper, inn-holder, guest. 
Huit, a. eight. 

Hulotte, s.f madge-owlet, brown or grey owl. 
Humain, s. m. man, mortal, mankind. 
Humain-e, a. human, worldly, compassionate, kind. 
Humanite, s.f. humanity, human kind, manhood. 
Humeur, s. m. humor. 

Humide, a. humid, damp, watery, wet, moist, washy. 
Humidite, s.f. humidity, dampness, moisture. 

Humilierent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they humiliated or humbled. F. hu- 

milier. 

Hurlement, s. m. howling, roaring, yelling, shrieking. 
Hydepark, s. m. Hydepark, a forest near London. 
Hymen, s. m. hymen, wedlock, matrimony. 
Hymenee, s. m. marriage, hymen, wedlock, matrimony. 
Hymette, s. prop. m. Hymettus, a mountain in Attica, still famous 
for bees and honey. 

i. 

Ici, ad. here, hither, in this place. 
Idee, s.f. idea, notion, thought, hint, perception. 
Ignora, ind. pret. 3 sin. he was ignorant of. F. ignorer. 
Ignorance, s.f ignorance, unskilfulness, rudeness. 
Ignorant-e, a. substan. ignorant, illiterate, an unintelligent man> 
Ignore, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I am ignorant of. F. ignorer. 
Ignorent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they do not or may not know. F. 
ignorer. 



IMP 



233 



Ignorer, inf. va. to be ignorant of, not to know, to be unacquainted 
with. 

Ignorez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you do not know. F. ignorer. 
II, per. pron. he, it. 
He, s.f. island, isle. 

Ilissus, s. in. Ilissus, a small river of Attica. 
Illinois, s. prop. m. pi. Illinois, a river and State of N. America. 
Illusion, s.f. illusion, fallacy, apparition, fancy, delusion. 
Illustre, a. illustrious, conspicuous, noted, eminent; famous, noble. 
Illustre-e, part, illustrated, brightened, dignified. F. illustrer. 
Illustrer, inf. va. to illustrate, brighten, dignify, render illustrious, 
lis, pers. pron. pi. they. 

Image, s.f. image, likeness, picture, representative, print. 
Imaginaire, a. imaginary, fanciful, visionary. 
Imagination, s.f imagination, fancy, conception, conceit. 
Imagine-e, part, imagined, supposed, invented. F. imaginer. 
Imaginent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they imagined. F. imaginer, 
Imaginer, inf. va. to imagine, suppose, invent. 
Imaginer (s'), inf. vr. to imagine, fancy, conceive, conceit. 
Imaginoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he imagined. F. imaginer. 
Imitant, ger. imitating, following, emulating. F. imiter. 
Imitation, s.f imitation. 

Imite, ind. pres. 3 sin. he imitates. F. imiter. 
Imiter, inf. va. to imitate, follow, emulate, counterfeit, mimic, 
Imitez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you imitate, follow. F. imiter. 
Imitoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they imitated. F. imiter. 
Immense, a. immense, immeasurable, huge, unlimited. 
Immensite, s.f. immensity, omnipresence, vastness. 
Immobile, a. immoveable, still, moveless, fast, motionless. 
Immobilite, s.f immobility, immoveableness. 
Immolant, ger. immolating, sacrificing. F. imoler. 
Immortal-le, a. immortal. 
Immortalite, s.f. immortality. 
Imparfaite, a. imperfect. 

Impatience, s.f. impatience, restlessness, weariness. 

Impatient-e, a. impatient. 

Impenetrable, a. impenetrable. 

Imperatrice, s.f empress, the wife of an Emporor, 



20* 



234 



INC 



Imperceptible, a. imperceptible, indiscernible, invisible. 

Imperieusement, ad. imperiously, haughtily, authoritatively. 

Imperturbable, a. imperturbable, tranquil. 

Impetueux-se, a. imperious, haughty, authoritative. 

Impetuosite, s.f. impetuosity, violence, fury, rudeness. 

Impie, a. substan. impious, blasphemous, an impious man or woman. 

Impitoyable, a. unmerciful, unrelenting, remorseless, inhuman. 

Implacable, a. implacable, inexorable, inflexible, irreconcileable. 

Implorant, ger. imploring, begging, supplicating. F. implorer. 

Implore, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I implore. F. implorer. 

Implorent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they implore. F. implorer. 

Implorer, inf. va. to implore, crave, pray, supplicate, beg, request, 

Important-e, a. important, momentous, valuable, serious. 

Importun-e, a. troublesome, importunate, impertinent. 

Imposant-e, a. imposing, awful, commanding, prepossessing. 

Impose-e, part, imposed, enjoined, laid hands on. F. imposer. 

Imposent, ind. pres. 3pl. they impose. F. imposer. 

Impossible, a. substan. impossible, impracticable, impossibility. 

Imposture, s. f. imposture, imposition. 

Impot, s. m. tax, duty, impost, due, tribute. 

Imprecation, s.f. imprecation, curse, execration, malediction, 

Impression, s.f impression, impress, stamp, mark, print 

Imprime-e, part, impressed. F. imprimer. 

Impriment, ind. pres. 3 pi. they impress. F. imprinter. 

Imprudent-e, a. substan. imprudent, incautious, an imprudent man. 

Impuissance, s.f. inability, impotence. 

Impuissant-e, a. impotent, unable, unerTectual, powerless. 

Impunite, s.f. impunity, pardon, indulgence. 

Impure, a. impure, filthy, unchaste, obscene, immodest: 

Inaccessible, a. inaccessible. 

Inaction, s.f. inaction, repose. 

Inalterable, a. unalterable, corruptless. 

Inca, s. prop. in. Inca, a Peruvian chief. 

Incendiaire, s. m. an incendiary, fire-brand, firer. 

Incendie, 8. m. a great fire, conflagration, inflammation, 

Incertain-e, a. uncertain, doubtful, irresolute, dubious. 

Incertitude, s.f incertitude, uncertainty, perplexity, 

Incite-e, part, incited. F. inciter. 



INF 



235 



Inconnu-e, a. unknown, unnoted, secret, unacquainted. 
Inconstant-e, a. inconstant, changeable, uncertain, fickle. 
Incontestable, a. incontestable, unquestionable, undoubted, evident, 
Incorruptible, a. incorruptible. 

Inculte, a. incultivated, untilled, unmanured, waste, homely. 
Indefini-e, a. indefinite, indeterminate, unlimited, unbounded. 
Independance, s.f. independence. 

Independant-e, a. iudependent, sovereign, absolute, free. 
Indienne, s.f. indian, printed calico. 

Indifferemment, ad. indifferently, coldly, without being concerned 
Indifference, s.f. indifference, coldness, callousness. 
Indifferent-e, a. indifferent, all one. 
Indigence, s.f need, penury, distress, poverty. 
Indigne, a. unworthy, undeserving, scandalous. 
Indignement, ad. unworthily, basely, shamefully, villanously. 
Indique-e, part, indicated, informed, directed. F. indiquer. 
Indiquer, inf. va. to indicate, direct, point out, show, teach. 
Indiquoit, ind. impf. 3 pi. he indicated. F. indiquer. 
Indocile, a. indocile, unteachable. 
Indomptable, a. untameable, unruly, ungovernable. 
Indompte-e, a. untamed, unbroken, unvanquished. 
Indulgence, s.f. indulgence, toleration ; allowance, clemency. 
Industrie, s.f. industry, artfulness, ingenuity. 
Inebranlable, a. unmoveable, unshaken, resolute, constant. 
Inegalement, ad. unequally. 

Inegalite, s.f. inequality, disparity, imparity, roughness. 

Inevitable, a. inevitable, unavoidable, necessary, fatal. 

Inexprimable, a. inexpressible, unspeakable, ineffable 

Infailliblement, ad. infallibly. 

Infamie, s.f. infamy, dishonour. 

Infanterie, s. f. infantry, the foot. 

Infecte-e, part, infected. F. infecter. 

Infecte, ind. pres. 3 sin. he infects. F. infecter. 

Infestoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he infested, troubled. F. infester. 

Infidele, a. substan. a faithless, false, perfidious, man or woman. 

Infini-e, a. infinite, boundless, unbounded, endless, innumerable, 

Infiniment, ad. infinitely, immensely, exceedingly, highly, 

Infinite, s.f. infinity, unboundedness. 



236 



INS 



Infirme, a. substan. infirm, weak, faint, sickly, an invalid, valetudi- 
narian. 

Infirmite, s.f. infirmity, failing, weakness, frailty. 
Influencer, inf. va. to influence. 

tnfortune-e, a. substan. an unfortunate, miserable, unhappy man. 
[nfortune-e, a. unfortunate, miserable, unhappy, woeful, wretched. 
Infructueux-se, a. fruitless, unprofitable. 
Ingrat-e, a. substan. an ungrateful, unthankful man. 
Ingratement, ad. ungratefully, unthankfully. 
Ingratitude, s.f. ingratitude, unthankfulness, ungratefulness. 
Inhumain-e, a. inhuman, barbarous, unmerciful, unkind, unrelenting. 
Injure, s.f. injury, wrong, abuse, insult, affront, offence. 
Injuste, a. unjust, wrongful, unreasonable, hard, causeless. 
Injustice, s.f. injustice, illegality, iniquity, wrong. 
Innocent-e, a. innocent, guiltless, harmless, clear, inoffensive. 
Innombrable, a. innumerable, numberless, infinite, countless. 
Inonde, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I float, he may float. F. in- 
onder. 

Inondent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they float, they may float. F. inon- 
der. 

Inonder, inf. va. to overflow, deluge, drown, float, flood, overrun. 
Inopine-e, a. unforeseen, unthought of, unexpected, sudden. 
Inoui-e, a. unheared of, strange. 

Inquiet-ete, a. unquiet, disturbed, restless, uneasy, busy, troublesome. 
Inquieter, inf. va. to disquiet, alarm, concern, perturbate, disconcert. 
Inquietude, s.f. disquiet, restlessness, inquietude, anxiety. 
Insatiable, a. insatiable, insatiate, craving, greedy, beyond measure. 
Inscription, s. f. inscription, title. 

Inscrivent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they inscribe. F. inscrire. 
Insense-e, a. substan. senseless, mad, furious, a mad man or woman, 
fool. 

Insensible, a. substan. insensible, loveless, obdurate, an unfeeling man. 

Insensiblement, ad. insensibly, imperceptibly, by slow degrees. 

Inseparable, a. inseparable, not to be parted. 

Insigne, a. remarkable, signal. 

Insomnie, s.f watching, lying awake, restlessness. 

Inspirant, ger. breathing, inspiring with, suggesting. F. inspirer. 

Inspiration, s.f. inspiration, infusion, breathing, suggestion. 



INT 



237 



Inspire, ind. or subj.pres. I or 3 sin. I inspire, he may inspire. F. 

inspirer. 

Inspirent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they inspire, they may inspire. F. 
inspirer. 

Inspiroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he inspired. F. inspirer. 

Instance, 5./. eager solicitude, entreaty, instance, action, request. 

Instant, s. in. instant, moment, minute, trice. 

Instinct, s in. instinct, inspiration. 

[nstructif-ve, a. instructive. 

Instruire, inf. va. to instruct, institute, apprize, educate, enlighten. 
Instruisez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you instruct, apprize. F. ins- 
truire. 

Instruisoit, ind. impf. 3 pi. he did instruct. F. instruire. 

Instruit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he instructs. F. instruire. 

Instruit-e, part, adjec. instructed, informed, enlightened. F. instruire. 

Instrument, s. m. instrument. 

Insulter, inf. va. to insult, affront, abuse, upbraid. 

Insupportable, a. insupportable. 

Insurrection, s.f insurrection. 

Intarissable, a. inexhaustible, that never dries up, ever flowing. 
Intellectuel-le, a. intellectual, mental. 

Intelligence, s.f. understanding, intelligence, correspondence. 
Intemperance, s.f intemperance. 
Intention, s.f. intention, design. 

Interdisoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he he interdicted, forbade. F. interdire. 

Interdit-e, part, adjec. interdicted, forbidden, amazed. F. interdire. 

Interessant-e, a. engaging, interesting, concerning. 

Interesser, inf. va. to interest, give a share in, concern, engage, affect. 

Interet, s. m. concern, advantage, good, interest, profit. 

Interieur-e, a. substan. interior, inside. 

Interieurement, ad. inwardly, internally, intrinsically. 

Interprete, s. m. interpreter, expounder, translator. 

Interrogeoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he interrogated. F. interroger. 

Interrompu-e, part, interrupted, disturbed, intermited. F. interrompre. 

Interruption, s.f interruption. 

Intervalle, s. m. interval, space, distance, interlapse, 

Intime, a. inward, intimate. 

Intirnite, s.f. intimacy. 



238 



JAL 



Iiitrepide, a. intrepid, dauntless, not to be frightened, fearless, bold. 
Intrepidite, s.f. intrepidity, boldness, courage, resolution. 
Intrigant, s. m. intriguer ; a. intriguing. 
Intrigue, s.f. intrigue, scrape, affair, negotiation. 
Introduisit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he introduced. F. introduire. 
Inutile, a. useless, unprofitable, vain, void, silly. 
Inutileinent, ad. uselessly, unprofitably, ineffectually, vainly. 
Invasion, s.f. invasion, descent, inroad. 

Inventer, inf. va. to invent, imagine, forge, broach, feign, coin. 
Investit, ind. pret. 3 sin. invested, enveloped. F. investir. 
Invincible, a. invincible, insuperable, unconquerable. 
Invite, ind. pres. 3 sin. he invites. F. inviter. 
Invitoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he invited. F. inviter. 
Invocation, 5./. invocation, calling upon. 
Involontaire, a. involuntary, undesigned, natural. 
Involontairement, ad. involuntarily. 
Invulnerable, a. invulnerable, that cannot be wounded. 
Ironique, a. ironical. 

Irregulier-ere, a. irregular, difform, anomalous, inconstant. 

Irreparable, a. irreparable. 

Irresistible, a. irresistible, uncontrollable. 

Irrevocable, a. irrevocable. 

Irrite-e, part, irritated, exasperated, incensed. F. irriter. 
Irritoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they irritated. F. irriter. 
Irritoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he irritated, incensed. F. irriter. 
Lso\e-e 9 part. adjec. insulated, unconnected, independent 
[talie, s.prop.f. Italy, a country in Europe. 
Ivre, a. drunken, inebriated, intoxicated with liquor. 



j. 

J', an abbreviation of Je. 
Jacobin, s. rn. a Jacobin. 
Jactance, s.f boasting. 

Jalousie, s.f. jealousy, enviousness, awe, fear, blinds. 
Jaloux-se, a. substan. jealous, envious, tender, a jealous man or 
man. 



JOU 



239 



Jamais, ad. never, ever, everlastingly, always. 

Jambe, s.f. the leg, shank. 

Jardin, s. m. garden. 

Jasmin, s. m. jasmine, or jessamine. 

Jatte, s.f. a bowl (wooden or china). 

Jaune, a. yellow, saffron-coloured, sallow. 

Jaunissant-e, ger. becoming yellow. F. jaunir. 

Javelot, s. ?n. javelin, dart. 

Je, per. pron. I. 

Jesus-Christ, s. prop. m. Jesus-Christ, the Son of God. 

Jet, s. m. cast, throw, flight, shoot, sprout, computation. 

Jete-e, part, thrown, cast, hurled, tossed. F. jeter. 

Jeterent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they threw, cast. F. jeter. 

Jetez, imp. pres. 2 pi. throw you, cast. F. jeter. 

Jetoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did throw, he cast. F. jeter. 

Jette, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I throw, he throws. F. jeter. 

Jettent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they throw, cast. F. jeter. 

Jeu-x, s. m. game, play, sport, match, entertainment. 

Jeune, a. young, younger, junior, ripe, juvenile, brisk, callow. 

Jeunesse, s.f. youth, adolescence, frolick. 

Joie, s.f. joy, gladness, hilarity, content, joviality. 

Joignant, ger. joining, uniting, connecting, fastening. F. joindre. 

Joignit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he joined, united. F. joindre. 

Joindre, inf. va. to joint, put together, unite, connect, pin, match. 

Joint, ind. pres. 3 sin. he joins, unites. F. joindre. 

Joint-e, part, joined, united, connected, fastened. F. joindre. 

Jonche-e, part, strewed, covered, spread, over. F. joncher. 

Joue, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I play, he may play. F. jouer. 

Jouent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they play, they may play. F. jouer. 

Jouer (se), inf. vr. or vn. to play, sport, game, not to be steadfast. 

Joui-e, part, enjoyed, possessed, held. F.jouir. 

Jouir, inf. va. to enjoy, possess, hold. 

Jouis, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I enjoy, thou enjoyest. F. jouir. 
Jouissance, s.f. enjoyment, fruition, possession, enjoying. 
Jouissez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you enjoy, possess. F. jouir. 
Jouissons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we enjoy, possess. F.jouir. 
Jouit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he enjoys, possesses. F.jouir. 
Jour, s. m. day, daylight, light. 



240 



LAI 



Joumee, s.f day, a day's work, a day's journey, fight, battle. 
Juge, s. m. judge, decider. 

Juge, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I judge, he may judge. F. juger. 

Juge-e, part, judged, defined, measured. F. juger. 

Jugeai, ind. pret. 1 sin. I judged. F. juger. 

Jugement, s. m. judgement, decision, doom's day. 

Jugeoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he judged, decided. F. juger. 

Juger, inf. va. to judge, define, doom, measure, decide, determine. 

Juin, s. ?n. June. 

Jura, ind. pret. 3 sin. he swore, cursed. F. jurer. 
Jure-e, part, sworn, cursed, blasphemed. F. jurer. 
Jusqu', an abbreviation of jus que. 
Jusque, prep, even to, as far as, to, till, until. 

Juste, a. substan. just, equitable, reasonable, impartial, a just man. 

Justement, ad. justly, honestly, rightfully, reasonably, righteously. 

Justesse, s.f. exactness, regularity. 

Justice, s.f. justice, right, good, rectitude, equity. 

Justifier, inf. va. to justify. 

L. 

L', an abbreviation of le or la. 
La, def art.f the. 

La, ad. there, thither, yonder, in or to that place. 
La, rel. pron. her, it. 

Laboureur, s. m. husbandman, ploughman. 
Lac, s. m. a lake, pool, pond. 

Lacepede, s. prop. m. Lacepede, a French naturalist. 
Lache, s. m. coward. 
Lache, a. vile, cowardly. 

Laissa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he relinquished. F. laisser. 

Laisse, imp. 2 sin. relinquish thou. F. laisser. 

Laisse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he leaves. F. laisser. 

Laisse-e, part, left, F. laisser. 

Laissent, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 pi. they relinquish. F. laisser. 
Laisser, inf. va. to leave, let, omit, relinquish, remit, give over. 



LEN 



241 



Laissez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you relinquish, or leave you. F. lais* 
ser. 

Laissoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he relinquished, left. F. laisser. 
Lait, s. in. milk. 

Lambris, s. m. ceiling, vault, canopy. 

Lance, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I dart, he may dart. F. lancer. 

Lance-e, part, darted, flung, hurled, threw. F. lancer. 

Lancent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they dart, they may dart. F. lancer, 

Lancoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they darted, flung. F. lancer. 

Langage, s. m. language, speech, dialect, diction. 

Langue, s.f. tongue, language, idiom. 

Langueur, s.f. faintness, weakness, consumption, languor. 

Languir, inf. vn. to languish, pine away, droop, linger, fade. 

Languissant-e, a. languishing, amorous, feeble, languid. 

Laquelle, rel. pron.f. s. n. which, who, that. 

Large, a. broad, wide, large, full, ample, extensive. 

Larme, s.f. tear, eye-drop. 

Lasse-e, part, fatigued, wearied. F. lasser. 

Lassois, ind. impf 1 sin. I wearied. F. lasser. 

Lateral-e, a. lateral, side, belonging to the side. 

Lave, s.f. the lava. 

Le, def. art. m. the. 

Le, per. pron. m. s. o. him, her, it, so. 

Le^on, s.f. lesson, reading, lore, lecture. 

Lecteur, s. m. reader. 

Lecture, s.f. reading, lecture. _ 

Leger-ere, a. light, lambent, airy, fickle, giddy, volatile. 

Legerement, ad. lightly, nimbly, swiftly, cursorily. 

Legislateur, s. m. legislator. 

Legislature, s.f. legislature. 

Legislative, a. legislative. 

Legitime, a. legitimate, just, reasonable, lawful* 

Legitimer, inf. va. to legitimate, to sanction. 

Lemnos (isle de), s. prop. m. Lemnos, an island in the iEgean 
sea. 

Lendemain, s. m. morrow, the next day, the day after. 
Lent-e, a. slow, slack, sluggish, tardy, dull, heavy, tedious. 
Lentement, ad. slowly, slackly, heavily, lingering, softly. 

21 



242 



LIQ 



Le plus, art. and pron. the most. 

Lequel, rel. pron. s. o. n. which, who. 

Les, def. art.pl. the, (from the article le). 

Lettre, s.f. letter, character, learning, epistle, print. 

Leur, rel. or pos.pron. to them, their. 

Leurs, s. m. pi. their own relations, freinds, soldiers, &c. 

Levai, ind. pret. 1 sin. I raised. F. lever. 

Levant, a. rising. 

Levant (le), s.prop. m. the East, the Levant. 

Levant, ger. raising, lifting up, heaving. F. lever. 

Leve (quHl), imp. 3 sin. let him lift. F. lever. 

Leve, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I lift, he may lift. F. lever. 

Leve-e, part, lifted, heaved, raised up. F. lever. 

Lever, inf. va. to raise up, lift, heave, hold, remove, take off. 

Lever, s. m. rising. 

Levoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he lifted, rose, arose. F. lever. 

Levre, s.f. lip. 

Lezard, s. m. or f. lizard. 

Liane, s.f bindweed. 

Liberal-e, a. liberal, free, generous, bountiful, frank. 
Liberateur, s. m. liberator, deliverer, rescuer, redeemer. 
Liberte, s.f. liberty, free-will, freedom, facility, ease. 
Libre, a. free, rid, disencumbered, licentious, exempt. 
Librement, ad. freely, cavalierly, voluntarily, plainly, easily. 
Libye, s.prop. f Lybia, a region of Africa. 
Licence, s. f. latitude, liberty, license, faculty. 
Lie, s.f. dregs, grounds, lees, dross, bottom, scum. 
Lien, s. m. a league, tie, bond. 

Lieu-x, s. m. place, rank, time, stand, birth, extraction. 
Ligne, s.f. line. 
Limite, s. limit. 

Limon, s. m. mud, lime ; lemon, citron ; a shaft. 

Limoneux-se, a. muddy, oozy, slimy, marshy. 

Lineament, s.m. feature. 

Lioit, ind. impf. 3 sin, he bound. F. Her. 

Lion-ne, s. m. or f. lion, a lioness. 

Liquide, a. liquid, watery, clear. 

Liquide, s. m. the liquid. 



LUM 



243 



Lire, inf. va. to read, study, discover, penetrate into, peruse. 
Lis, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I read, he may read. F. lire. 
Lit, s. m. bed, couch. 

Li vide, a. livid, black and blue, sallow, lurid. 

Livrant, ger. delivering, abandoning, surrendering. F. livrer. 

Livre, s. m. a book ; or f. a pound, livre, franc. 

Livre-e, part, delivered, abandoned, surrendered, betrayed. F. livrer. 
Livre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I deliver, he may deliver. F. 
livrer. 

Livrerent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they delivered. F. livrer. 
Livroient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they gave up. F. livrer. 
Loi, s.f. law, decree, constitution, power, ordinance. 
Loin, ad. far, far off, a great way, remotely, wide, distant. 
Lointain-e, a. far, remote, distant, strange. 
Loisir, s. m. leisure, vacation, vacant time. 
Londres, s. prop. m. London, the capital of Great Britain. 
Long, s. m. length, long. 
Long-temps, ad. long, a long time. 

Long-ue, a. long, large, much, great, longsome, long-winded. 

Longueur, s. f. length, longitude, slowness, delay. 

Lors, ad. then, when. 

Lorsqu', prep, at the time of, when. 

Lorsque, conj. when, at the time. 

Louable, a. good, laudable, commendable, praiseworthy. 

Louange, s. f. letting out, hiring, hire, livery. 

Loue-e 9 part, hired, let, leased, rented. F. louer. 

Louis XIV. s.prop. m. Louis the Fourteenth (a king of France). 

Louis XV. s. prop. m. Louis the Fifteenth (a king of France). 

Louisiane, s. prop. f. Lousiana, a large region of N. America. 

Louvet, s. prop. m. M. Louvet, a man's name. 

Lu-e, part, read, studied, discovered, perused. F. lire. 

Lueur, s.f. glimmering, faint light. 

Lugubre, a. doleful, sorrowful, mournful,"sad, dismal. 

Lui, per. pron. he, him, her, to him, to her. 

Lui-meme, rel. pron. himself. 

Luira, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will glister, glitter. F. luire. 
Lumiere, s.f. light, day, luminousness, candle, knowledge. 
Lumineux-se, a. luminous, effulgent, lucid, lustrous. 



244 



MAL 



Lune, s.f. moon. 

Lut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he read, studied. F. lire. 
Lutte, s.f struggle, wrestle. 
Luxe, s. m. luxury, extravagance. 

Lycurgue, s. prop. m. Lycurgus, a celebrated lawgiver of Sparta, 
Lydic, s.f. Lydia, a country in Asia Minor. 

M 

M', an abbreviation of me. 
Ma, pos. pron.f. n. s. my, mine. 
Machine, s.f a machine. 
Madame, s.f. madam, Mrs. 

Magasin, s. m. magazine, warehouse, storehouse. 
Magi que, a. magick, magical, conjuring. 
Magnanime, a. magnanimous. 

Magnanimite, s.f magnanimity, greatness of mind. 
Magnificence, s.f. magnificence, state, splendour. 
Magnifique, a. magnificent, splendid, grand, noble, stately. 
Magnolia, s.f. magnolia, the laurel-leaved tulip tree. 
Mahomet, s.prop. m. Mohammed or Mahomet, the celebrated eastern 
impostor. 

Main, s.f the hand, a shovel, a grapple. 

Maintenant, ad. now, at this time, at present, presently. 

Maintenir, inf va. to maintain, preserve, keep. 

Maintiennent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they maintain. F. maintenir. 

Mais, conj. but, however. 

Maison, s.f. a house, home. 

Maitre, s. m. master, rector, instructor, teacher, tutor. 
Maitresse, s.f mistress, lover, dame. 

Maitrisoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they mastered. F. maitriser. 
Majeste, s.f majesty, stateliness, dignity, loftiness. 
Majestueusement, ad. majestically, gravely, loftily, nobly. 
Majestueux-se, a. majestic, grand, noble, stately, lofty. 
Majorite, s.f majority. 

Mai, pi. maux, s. m. evil, ill, harm, trouble, disease, sickness. 
Mai, ad. ill, not well, wrong, badly, unkindly, sorrily, lamely. 
Malade, a. sick, ill, diseased, distempered, indisposed, sallow. 



MAR 



245 



Malade, s. m. a sick body, sick person, patient. 
Maladie, s.f. disease, distress, sickness, malady, evil. 
Malgre, prep, in spite of, notwithstanding, against One's will. 
Malheur, s. m. ill-luck, misfortune, mischance, unhappiness. 
Malheureux-se, a. unhappy, unfortunate, sorrowful, miserable. 
Malsain-e, a. unhealthy, sickly. 

Manger, inf. va. or vn. to eat, chew ; meat, feed, mess. 
Maniere, s. f manner, fashion, sort, kind, mode. 
Manifesta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he manifested. F. manif ester. 
Manoeuvre, s. m. orf. a labourer, rigging, manoeuvre. 
Manque, ind, or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I fail, he may faih F. man- 
quer. 

Manque-e, part, failed, broken, wanted, fainted. F. manquer. 
Manquent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they fail, they may fail. F. man- 
quer. 

Manquoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he failed, broke. F. manquer. 
Manteau-x, s. m. a cloak, mantle, mantua. 
Marais, s. m. marsh, swamp. 

Marat, s. prop. m. Marat, one of the most horrid monsters that the 

French Revolution produced. 
Marchand-e, a. vendible, mercantile, trading. 
Marchant, ger. walking, going, marching, stepping. F. marcher, 
Marche, s.f. marching, march, procession, move. 
Marche, ind. or subj. pres. i or 3 sin. I march, he may march. F. 

marcher. 

Marche-e, part, walked, gone, marched, stepped. F. marcher. 
Marchent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they march, they may march. F. 
marcher. 

Marcher, inf. vn. to walk, go, march, step, trudge, stalk. 
Marchoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he marched. F. marcher. 
Marchons, imper. 1 pi. let us march. F. marcher. 
Marechal, s. m. marshal, a title given to a great officer. 
Marmontel, s. prop. m. Marmontel, a great French writer. 
Marquant-e, a.f marking, showing, pointing out. 
Marquant, ger. marking, signing, denoting. F. marquer. 
Marque, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I mark, he may mark. F 
marquer. 

Marque, s.f mark, print, sign, stamp, argument. 
21* 



246 



MEL 



Marque-e, part, marked, signed, indicated. F. marquer. 
Marquent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they mark. F. marquer. 
Marquer, inf. va. to mark, sign, indicate, wound, denote, show. 
Marquoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he or it marked. F. marquer. 
Masque, s. m. a mask. 

Masse, s.f. mass, heap, lump, bulk, stock, ground. 
Massif- ve, a. massy, massive, bulky, ponderous, solid. 
Massillon, s. prop. m. Massillon a great French author. 
Massue, s.f. a club. 
Mat, s. m. mast. 

Matelot, s. m. sailor, seaman, mariner. 
Mateiiel-le, a. material. 

Matiere, s.f. matter, stuff, materials, cause, reason, subject. 
Matin, s. m. morning, forenoon, prime. 
Matinal-e, a. matin, early riser. 
Maturite, s. maturity, ripeness. 
Mauvais-e, a. bad, evil, miserable, sorry, false. 
Maux, s. pi. of mal, evils. 
Maxim e, s.f maxim. 
Mecanique, a. mechanical. 
Mecaniquement, ad. mechanically. 
Mechancete, s.f wickedness, spitefulness, unkindness. 
Mechant-e, a. substan. bad, ill, paltry, sorry, a miscreant, bad man. 
Meconnoitroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he would mistake. F. meconnoitre* 
Meconnu-e, part, forgot, disavowed, unknown. F. meconnoitre. 
Mecontentement, s. m. discontent, discontentment, displeasure. 
Mediocre, a. moderate, middling. 
Meditation, s.f meditation. 
Medite-e, part, meditated. F. mediter. 
Meilleur-e, a. substan. better, the best. 
Melancolie, s.f. melancholy, sadness, dejectedness. 
Melange, s. m. mixture, medley, allay, interspersion. 
Mele, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I mingle, he may mingle. F. 
meler. 

Mele-e, part, mingled, mixed, blended, confused. F. meler. 
Melent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they mingle, they may mingle. F. 

meler. 

Meier, inf. va. to mingle, mix, blend, jumble, confuse, temper, mash. 



MES 



247 



Melodie, s.f. melody, musick, harmony, tune. 

Membre, s. m. member, limb, part. 

Meme, a. same, like, one, self, all, every. 

Meme, ad. even, also, very, over and above, nay, however. 

Memoire, s.f. memory, retention, remembrance, memoir. 

Menacant-e, a. swaggering, threatening, minatory, menacing. 

Menace, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I threaten, or he may threaten, 

F. menacer. 
Menace, s.f. threat, menace, menacing. 
Menace-e, part, threatened, menaced. F. menacer. 
Menacoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he menaced. F. menacer. 
Menager, inf. va. to husband, manage, conduct, procure, convey. 
Mene, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sir*. I carry, he may carry. F. me- 

ner. 

Menoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he carried, conducted. F. mener, 
Mensonge, s. m. falsehood, lie. 
Mentoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he lied. F. mentir. 
Meprendre, inf. va. to misunderstand, mistake. 
Mepris, s. m. contempt, scorn, slight, disrespect, disdain.. 
Meprise, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I despise, he may despise. F. 
mepriser. 

Mepriser, inf. va. to contemn, despise, scom, slight, disdain, neglect. 

Mer, s.f. the sea, the deep, tide, flood-water. 

Mere, s.f. mother, root, parent, cause, occasion. 

Meridional-e, a. meridional, south, southern, southerly. 

Merite, s. m. merit, desert, worth, consideration, dignity. 

Merite-e, part, merited, deserved, incurred. F. meriter. 

Meritera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall deserve. F. meriter. 

Meritez, ind. imp. 2 pi. deserve ye. F. meriter. 

Meritoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they deserved. F. meriter. 

Meiitons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we deserve, merit. F. meriter. 

Merveille, s.f. wonder, marvel. 

Merveilleux-se, a. wonderful, admirable, surprising. 

Mes, poss. pron.pl. my, mine. 

Messager-ere, s. m. or f. messenger, runner, carrier, wagoner. 
Meschacebe, s. prop. m. Mississippi, a great river in the United States. 
Mesure, s.f. measure, assize, dimension, proportion. 
Mesure-e, part . measured, proportioned. F. mesurer. 
Mesurer, inf. va. to measure, compose, proportion. 



248 



MIT 



Met, ind pres. 3 sin. he places or puts. F. mettre. 
Metal, s. m. metal. 

Metier, s. m. trade, handicraft, profession, occupation. 

Metius, s. prop. m. Metius, a man's name. 

Mets, s. m. dish, any thing offered to eat. 

Mettant, ger. putting, laying, setting, exposing. F. mettre, 

Mettez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you put, lay, set. F. mettre. 

Mettra, ind. fat. 3 sin. he shall put. F. mettre, 

Mettre, inf. va. to put, lay, set, expose, deliver, place, repose. 

Mettrez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall put, lay. F. mettre. 

Meuble, s. m. household goods, moveables, furniture. 

Meuglement, s. m. bellowing, lowing. 

Meurs, ind. pres. I or 2 sin. I die, or thou diest. F. mourir. 

Meurt, ind. pres. 3 sin. he dies, departs. F. mourir. 

Meurtrier-ere, s. m.orf.n murderer, murderess, homicide. 

Midi, s. m. mid-day, noon, meridian, south. 

Mieux, ad. better, rather, best, more. 

Milieu-x, s.f. middle, mediocrity, centre, heart. 

Mille, a. num. a thousand. 

Millier, s. m. a thousand, a thousand weight. 

Million, s. m. a million. 

Mince, a. thin, small, slender, slight, slim. 

Mine, s.f. mien, a mine, countenance, figure, air. 

Ministre, s. m. minister, parson, pastor. 

Minorite, s.f. tutelage, pupilage, minority, nonage. 

Mirabeau, s. prop. m. Mirabeau, one of the greatest orators France 

ever produced. 
Miracle, s. m. miracle, wonder, sign, wonderous sign. 
Miraculeusement, ad. miraculously, wonderfully. 
Mirtile, s. prop. m. Mirtile, name of a man. 
Miroir, s. m. a mirror. 

Mis-e, part, put, dressed, set, placed, reposed. F. mettre. 
Miserable, a. substan. miserable, sad, poor, sorrowful. 
Misere, s.f. misery, distress, wretchedness, poverty. 
Misericorde, s.f. mercy, tenderness, quarter, grace. 
Missouri, s. prop. m. Missouri, a large region and river in North Amer- 
ica. 

Mit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he put. F. mettre. 

Mithridate, s. prop. m. Mithridates, an ancient king of Pontus. 



MON 



249 



Mobile, a. moveable, capable of being moved. 
Mode, s. m. or f. mode, fashion, custom, mood, modulation. 
Modele, s. m. model, pattern, prototype, mirror. 
Moderation, s.f moderation, modesty, temperance. 
Modere, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he moderate. F. mo- 
derer. 

Moderne, a. substan. modern, late, recent ; s. a modern. 

Modeste, ad. modest, meek, bashful, reserved. 

Mceurs, s.f. manners, morals, habits, behaviour. 

Moi, per. pron. I, me. 

Moindre, a. less, lesser, meaner. 

Moins, a. less, under, lesser ; but, except. 

Mois, s. m. a month, the twelfth part of a year. 

Moisson, s.f. harvest, reaping, crop. 

Moisonne-e, part, reaped, cropped, harvested. F. moisonner, 

Moissonner, inf. va. or vn. to reap, cut corn, harvest, mow, 

Mol-le, a. soft, pappy, delicate, mellow. 

Mollesse, s.f softness, flabbiness, slackness, laziness, 

Moment, s. in. moment, minute, instant. 

Mon, pos. pron. my, mine. 

Monarchic, s. f. monarchy, kingdom. 

Monarque, s. m. monarch, potentate, prince. 

Monceau-x, s. m. heap, mass, pile. 

Monde, s. in. world, universe, nature, mankind, society. 

Monsieur, s. m. sir, master, gentleman. 

Monstre, s. m. monster, moon-calf, prodigy. 

Monstrueux-se, a. monstrous. 

Mont, s. m. mount, mountain, hill. 

Monta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he mounted, went up. F. monter, 
Montagne, s.f. mountain, a large hill. 

Monte, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I mount, he may mount. F. 
monter. 

Montent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 sin. they ascend, let them ascend. F. 
monter. 

Monter, inf. va. or vn. to go up, come up, ascend, mount, carry up. 
Monterent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they mounted, ascended. F monter. 
Montoient, ind. impf 3 pi. he mounted, ascended. F. monter. 
Montra, ind. pret. 3 sin. he showed, discovered. F. montrer. 



250 



1VIUL 



Montrant, ger. showing, discovering, exposing. F. montrer. 
Montre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I show, he may show. F. mon- 
trer. 

Montre-e, part, shown, discovered, spoke, exposed. F. montrer. 

Montrer, inf. va. to show, discover, speak, argue, expose, bear, tell. 

Montroient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they showed. F. montrer. 

Montroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he showed. F. montrer. 

Monument, s. m. monument, memorial, token. 

Moqueur-euse ; a. substan. mocker, ironical, sneering, derisive. 

Moral-e, a. moral, practical. 

Morale, s.f. morality, morals, moral, ethics. 

Morceau-x, s. m. a bit, piece, morsel, fragment. 

Morne, a. dull, sad, sullen, pensive, melancholy, morose. 

Mort-e, part, dead, defunct, dormant, lifeless. F. mourir. 

Mort, s. m. orf. death, decease, mortality, a dead body. 

Mortel-le, a. substan. mortal, deadly, fatal, a mortal man. 

Mot, s. m. word, term. 

Motif, s. m. motive, impulse, cause. 

Mou, or mol-le, soft, luxurious, delicate, effeminate, mellow, pulpy. 

Mouille-e, part, wet, moistened, drenched. F. mouiller. 

Mourant, ger. dying, departing, perishing. F. mourir. 

Mourant-e, a. dying, fading, a dying man or woman. 

Mourir, inf. vn. to die, decease, depart, perish, expire. 

Mourrez, ind. fat. 2 pi. you will die. F. mourir. 

Mourut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he died, deceased. F. mourir. 

Mousseaux, s. prop. m. name of a place. 

Mouvant-e, a. moving, affecting. 

Mouvement, s. m. motion, moving, movement, shock. 

Moyen, s. m. means, way, recourse, riches, power. 

Moyen-ne, a. mean, middle, moderate, mediate. 

Muet-te, a. substan. dumb, mute, speechless, a dumb man. 

Mugir, inf. vn. to bellow, low, roar. 

Mugissant-e, a. bellowing, lowing, roaring. 

Mugissement, s. m. bellowing, lowing, roaring. 

Multiplie-e, part, multiplied, increased, propagated. F. multiplier. 

Multipliera, ind. fat. 3 sin. it will increase. F. multiplier. 

Multiplierent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they multiplied. F. multiplier. 

Multiplicity, s.f. multiplicity. 



NAT 



251 



Multitude, s.f. a multitude, throng, people, generation. 
Municipal- aux, a. municipal. 
Mur, s. m. a wall. 

Mur-e, a. ripe, mellow, mature, grave. 
Muraille, s.f. a wall. 

Muri-e, part, ripe, matured, grown ripe. F. mitrir. 
Murmurant, ger. murmuring, grumbling, repining. F. murmurer. 
Murmure, s. m. murmur, murmuring, grumbling, mutter. 
Murmurer, inf. vn. to murmur, grumble, grudge, repine. 
Muscle, s. m. muscle. 

Mutile-e, 7?ar£. mutilated, maimed, cut off. F. mutiler. 

Mutuel-le, a. mutual, reciprocal, interchangeable. 

Mutuellement, ad. mutually, interchangeably, reciprocally. 

Mycenes, s. prop. m. Mycenae, a city of Greece. 

Myrte, s. m. myrtle. 

Mystere, s. m. mystery, secret, arcana. 

Mythologie, s.f. mythology, history of the false divinities. 

N. 

N 5 , an abbreviation of ne. 

Na'if-ve, a. genuine, native, natural, lively, artless, true. 

Naissance s.f. birth, breeding, nativity, dawn, rise, beginning. 

Naissant-e, a. newly born, coming forth, rising. 

Nait, ind. pres. 3 sin. he begins, rises, grows. F. naitre. 

Naitra, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will spring. F. naitre, 

Naitre, inf. vn. to be born, come to, spring, begin, arise, proceed. 

Nappe, s.f cloth, table-cloth, deer skin, net. 

Narcisse, s. prop. m. Narcissus, name of a man. 

Narration, s.f. narration, account, relation, recital. 

Nation, s.f. nation, people, country. 

National-le, a. national. 

Naturaliste, s. m. naturalist, natural philosopher. 
Nature, s.f. nature, universe, world, temper, condition. 
Natuiel, s. m. a native, nature, disposition, constitution. 
Naturel-le, a. natural, native, inherent, physical, genial. 
Naturellement, ad. naturally. 



252 



NOU 



Navire, s. m. ship, vessel, sail, sea-boat. 
Ne, ad. no, not. 

Ne-e, part, born, come into the world, begun, arisen, sprung. 
Neanmoins, conj. nevertheless. 
Neant, s. m. nothing, nothingness, non-existence. 
Necessaire, a. necessary, needful, requisite, exigent, due. 
Necessite, s.f. necessity, obligation, exigence. 
Negligence, s.f. negligence, neglect, supineness, torpor. 
Negotiation, s.f. negotiation. 
Neige, s.f. snow. 

Nenuphar, 5. m. water-lily, nenuphar, nymphasa. 

Nerf, s.f nerve, sinew. 

Neron, s.prop. m. Nero, a Roman emperor. 

Nerveux-se, a. nervous, nervy, sinewy, brawny, lusty. 

Neuvieme, a. substan. ninth, the ninth. 

Ni, conj. neither, nor. 

Niagara, 5. prop. m. Niagara, a large river in North America. 
Nicolas, s. prop. m. Nicholas, a man's name. 
Nil, s. prop.f. Nile, a large river in Africa. 

Ninive, s.prop. f Nineveh, one of the oldest cities in the world. 
Nivellement, s. m. levelling. 

Noble, a. substan. noble, lofty, stately, patrician, judge, a nobleman. 

Noblement, ad. nobly. 

Noblesse, s.f nobility, nobleness, quality. 

Nocher, s. m. pilot, steersman. 

Noir-e, a. black, pitchy, lurid, sable. 

Noirceur, s.f. blackness, atrocity. 

Norn, s. m. name, appellation, title, fame, renown. 

Nombre, s. m. number, world, vast deal, multitude. 

Nombreux-se, a. numerous, manifold, great, many. 

Nomme-e, part, named, denominated, appointed. F. nommer, 

Nommer, inf. va. to name, denominate, term, title, elect, appoint. 

Non, ad. no, not. 

Nos, pos.pron. pi. our. 

Notre, pos. pron. s. our. 

Nourri-e, part, nourished, fed, kept, maintained. F. nourir. 
Nourrir, inf. va. or vn. to nourish, feed,keep, maintain, live, fare. 
Nourrissoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they nourished. F. nourrir. 



OBS 



253 



Nourriture, s.f. nourishment, sustenance, food. 
Nous, per. pron. we, us, to us. 
Nous-memes, pron. pi. ourselves. 
Nouveau, a. new, novel, modern, recent, green. 
Nouveau, ad. newly, recently. 

Nouveaute, s.f. newness, novelty, recency, change, innovation. 

Nouvel-le, a. new, novel, modern, recent, green. 

Noyau-x, s. in. the stone of a fruit, core. 

Noyer, s. m. a walnut-tree. 

Noyons, imper. 1 pi. let us drown. F. noyer. 

Nu-e, a. naked, bare, uncovered, nude. 

Nuage, s. m. cloud, shade, mist. 

Nuance, s.f. shade, gradation of colour, nicety. 

Nuancer, inf. va. to shade. 

Nudite, s.f. nakedness, barrenness, nudity. 

Nue, s.f a cloud. 

Nuee, s.f. cloud. 

Nuire, inf. vn. to hurt, prejudice, annoy, wrong. 
Nuisible, a. troublesome, hurtful, harmful, prejudicial. 
Nuit, s.f. night, night time. 

Nul-le, indef. pron. no, not one, no man or woman, none, nobody. 
Nymphe, s.f. nymph, fairy. 

o. 

0, interj. o ! oh ! 

Obeir, inf. vn. to obey, comply with, yield, bend, be easy. 
Obeissant, ger. obeying, complying with, yielding, bending. F. obeir. 
Obeissoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he obeyed. F. obeir. 
Objet, s. m. object, subject, matter, business, aim, end, point. 
Oblige, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I oblige, he may oblige, F. 
obliger. 

Oblique, a. oblique, awry, slope, sideways, cross, slantwise. 
Obscur-e, a. dark, gloomy, obscure, abstruse, mysterious, hazy. 
Obscurci-e, part, darkened, obscured, dimmed, eclipsed. F. obscur- 
cir. 

Obscurcir (s'), inf. vr. to darken, to grow dark. 
22 



254 



OHt 



Obscurcit, ind. or subj. pret. 3 sin. he darkened, he might darken. F. 

obscurcir. 

Obscurite, s.f darkness, obscurity, gloominess, abstruseness. 
Observateur-rice, s. m. or s.f. observer, observator, beholder. 
Observe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I observe, he may observe. F. 

observer. 

Observer, inf. va. to observe, consider, contemplate, practise, mind. 
Observons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we observe, keep. F. observer. 
Obstacle, s. m. obstacle, hindrance, obstruction, opposition. 
Obtient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he obtains. F. obtenir. 
Obtint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he obtained, purchased. F. obtenir. 
Occasion, s.f opportunity, occurrense, occasion, room. 
Occidental-e, a. occidental, western, westerly. 
Occupation, s.f occupation, avocation, employment. 
Occupe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I occupy, he may occupy, 
F. occuper. 

Occupe-e, part, adjec. busy, taken up, employed. F. occuper, 

Occuper, inf. va. to take up, hold up, occupy, supply. 

Occupera, ind. fat, 3 sin. he will occupy. F. occuper. 

Occupoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he occupied. F. occuper. 

Ocean, s. m. the ocean, main sea. 

Odeur, s.f. odour, scent, smell, fragrance, savour. 

Odieux-se, a. odious, hateful, destestable, loathsome. 

Odorat, s. m. the smell. 

CEil, s. m. sin. the eye ; pi. yeux, the eyes. 

(Euvre, s.f a work, performance. 

Offense, s.f. offence, abuse, injury, outrage, blame, fault 
Offense -e, part, offended, abused, injured. F. offenser. 
Officier, s. m. officer, butler, confectioner. 
Offrande, s.f offering, oblation, gift. 

Offrant, ger. offering, tendering, bidding, giving. F. offrir. 

Offre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I offer, he may offer. F. offrir 

Offriez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you offered, tendered. F. offrir. 

Offrir, inf. va. to offer, tender, bid, present, profess, give, venture. 

Offroient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they offered, tendered. F. offrir. 

Offroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he offered. F. offrir. 

Oh, interj. 01 ho ! oh ! 

Ohio, s. prop. m. Ohio, a large river, and state, in North America. 



ORC 



255 



Oiseau-x, 5. m. a biid, fowl. 
Oiseleur, s. m. bird-catcher, fowler. 
Oisif-ve, a. idle, sluggish, inactive, slothful. 
Oisivete, s.f. idleness, sloth, inactivity, inaction. 
Olympe, s. prop. m. Olympus, a mountain of Thessaly. 
Omar, s. prop. m. Omar, name of a man. 

Ombrage, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I shade, he may shade. F. 
ombrager. 

Ombrage, 5. m. shade, umbrage, jealousy, mistrust. 
Ombrage-e, part, shaded, shadowed. F. ombrager. 
Ombrageux-se, a. starting, skittish, suspicious, jealous. 
Ombre, s.f. shadow, shade, pretence, protection, figure, sign. 
On, per. pr on. one, they, we, people, man, men, a body. 
Onction, s.f. unction, anointing, grace. 
Onde, s. f. a wave, a surge, billow, spout. 
Ont, ind. pres. 3 pi. they have. F. avoir. 
Ontario, s. prop. m. Ontario, a lake in North America. 
Opera, ind. pret. 3 sin. he operated. F. operer. 
Operation, s.f. operation. 

Opiniatre, a. substan. stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, a stubborn man. 
Opinion, s.f. vote, opinion, sense, persuasion, mind, belief. 
Oppius, s. prop. m. Oppius, a Roman citizen. 

Oppose, ind, or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I oppose, he may oppose. F. 
opposer. 

Oppose-e, part, opposed, opposite, objected. F. opposer. 
Opposer, inf. va. to oppose, stem, object, allege, set against. 
Opposition, s.f. opposition, hindrance, obstacle. 
Opposoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he opposed. F. opposer. 
Oppresse-e, part, oppressed, overpowered, crushed, overcharged. 
Opprimer, inf. va. to oppress, overbear, crush, grind, afflict, devour. 
Opulence, s.f opulence, affluence, wealth, riches. 
Or, s. m. gold. 

Or, conj. but, now, beside, therefore, whenever. 
Orage, s. m. storm, tempest. 

Oraison, s.f. speech, oration, declamation, harangue. 
Orateur, s. m. orator, haranguer, speaker. 
Oratoire, s. and a. oratorical, oratory. 
Orchestre, s. m. orchestre, music-room. 



256 



OUB 



Ordinaire, a. ordinary, common, usual, vulgar, indifferent 
Ordinairement, ad. commonly, usually, generally, vulgarly. 
Ordonna, ind.pret. 3 sin. he ordered, directed. F. ordonner. 
Ordonne-e, part, ordered, directed, disposed, commanded. 
Ordonnent (qu'ils), imp. 3 pi. let them order. F. ordonner. 
Ordonner, inf. va. to order, direct, dispose, command, enact* 
Ordre, s. m. order, disposition, regulation, appointment, 
Oreille, s.f. the ear ; strap, latchet. 
Organe, s. m. organ. 

Orgueil, s. m. pride, haughtiness, elation, vanity. 
Orgueilleux-se, a. substan. proud, haughty, lofty, arrogant 
Orient, s. m. the east, the orient. 
Orleans, s.prop.f. Orleans, a town in France. 
Ormeau-x, s. in. a young elm. 

Orne-e, part, adorned, ornamented, beautified. F. orner. 
Ornement, s. m. ornament, embellishment, attire. 
Osant, ger. daring, adventuring. F. oser. 

Ose, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I dare, he may dare. F. oser. 
Ose-e, part, dared, adventured. F. oser. 

Osent, ind. or subj pres. 3 pi. they dare, they may dare. F. oser, 

Oser, inf. va. to dare, be so bold as, adventure. 

Osoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he dared. F. oser. 

Osons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we dare. F. oser. 

Ossemens, s. m. pi. bones, dead bodies' bones. 

Ostentation, s.f. ostentation, boast, bragging, vanity. 

Ota, ind. pret. 3 sin. he removed. F. dter. 

Otant, ger. removing, taking away, curing. F. dter. 

Ote-e, part, taken away, removed, put away. F. dter. 

Oter, inf. va. to take away, remove, cure, put away, rob, deprive^ 

Otoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he removed. F. oter. 

Ou, conj. or, either, else. 

Ou, ad. where, whither, wherein, in which, to which, whence. 
Ouate (qu'il), ind. imp. 3 sin. let him furnish with wadding. F. ou- 
ater. 

Ouate, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I furnish with wadding. F. ou- 
ater. 

Ouate, s.f. wadding, wad. 
Oubli, s.m. forgetfulness.. 



PAL 



257 



Oublia, ind. pret. 3 sin. he forgot, omitted. F. oublier. 
Oublie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I forget, he may omit. F. ou- 
blier. 

Oublie-e, part, forgotten, omitted, left out, left. F. oublier. 
Oubliois, ind. impf. 1 sin. I forgot. F, oublier. 
Oui, ad. yes, ay. 
Ours-e, s. m. a bear. 

Outrage, s. m. outrage, contumely, affront, insult, abuse. 
Outrage, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I injure, he may affront. F 
outrager. 

Outrage-e, part, injured, abused, affronted. F. outrager. 
Outrageant, ger. injuring, affronting, abusing. F. outrager. 
Outrager, inf. va. to injure, affront, outrage, abuse, offend, revile. 
Outre, prep, beyond, out of, besides, oyer and above. 
Ouverte-e, a. open, frank, free, candid, sincere, open-hearted. 
Ouvrage, s. m. work, achievement, piece, job, product. 
Ouvrant-e, a. opening. 

Ouvre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I open, he may open. F ou- 
vrir. 

Ouvrent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they open, they may open, F. ou~ 
vrir. 

Ouvrier-ere, 5. m. a workman, artificer, labourer. 
Ouvrir, inf. va. to open, break open, breathe, reclude, unbosom, 
Ouvrit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he opened, unbosomed. F. ouvrir, 
Ovipare, a. oviparous, (that multiply by eggs). 

p. 

Pactole, s. prop. m. Pactolus, a celebrated river in Asia Minor. 
Page, s.f. page. 

Paisible, a. peaceable, quiet, still, calm, gentle, mild, tranquil, sedate. 

Paisiblement, ad. peaceably, quietly, calmly, gently, placidly. 

Paix, s.f. peace, concord, rest, quietly, tranquillity. 

Palais, s. m. palace, mansion, a court, hall, law. 

Pale, a. pale, wan, bleak, sallow, lurid, ghastly. 

Palir, inf. va. or vn. to grow pale, to turn pale. 

Palissent (qu'ils), ind. imp. 3 pi. let them turn pale. F. palir. 

22* 



258 PAR 



Palmier, s. m. palm tree, date tree. 

Palpitant, ger. palpitating, panting, beating. F. palpiter. 
Pampre, s. in. a vine-leaf, vine-branch. 
Pan, s. prop. in. a heathen rural deity. 
Panique, a. panick. 

Pannoniens, s. prop. pi. Pannonians, an ancient people of Europe, 

Panthere, s. in. a panther. 

Paque, s.f. passover, Easter, Easter day. 

Pax, prep, by, through, out of, for, at. 

Parai, incl. pret. 1 sin. 1 set off, decked, adorned. F. parer. 
Paralysie, s. f. paralysis, palsy. 

Parant,ger. setting off, decking, adorning, attiring. F. parer. 
Parceque, conj. because, in as much as, for as much as. 
Farcourant, ger. travelling all over, going or running over. F. parcou- 
rir. 

Parcouiiez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you went all over. F. parcourir. 
Parcourir, inf. va. to travel all over, go, run over, survey, overhaul. 
Parcouru-e, part, run over, surveyed. F. parcourir. 
Parcourus, ind. pret. 1 or 2 sin. I did run, thou didst run. F. parcou- 
rir. 

Pardon, s. ?n. pardon, forgiveness, mercy, grace. 
Pardonner, inf. va. to pardon, forgive, excuse, spare, remit. 
Pardonnerons, ind. fat. 1 pi. we shall pardon. F. pardonner. 
Pare-e, part, set off, decked, adorned, attired. F. parer. 
Pareil-le, a. like, alike, equal. 

Parent-e, s. m. or f. kin, relation, parents, kinsman, or kinswoman. 
Paresse, s.f. laziness, idleness, sloth, indolence. 
Parfait-e, a. perfect, complete, accomplished, exquisite. 
Parfum, s. m. perfume, sweet odour, scent, fragrancy. 
Parfume-e, part, perfumed, sweetened, scented. F. parfumer. 
Paris, s.prop.f Paris, the capital of France. 
Parjure, a. perjured, false. 

Parla, ind. pret. 3 sin. he spoke, talked. F. parler. 
Parlant, ger. speaking, talking, communing. F. parler. 
Parle, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I speak, he may speak. F. par- 
ler. 

Parle -e, part, spoken, talked, communed. F. parler. 

Parler, inf. va. to speak, talk, commune, say, discourse, mention. 



PAS 



259 



Parlera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will speak. F. parler. 

Parlerons, ind. fat. 1 pi. we will speak. F. parler. 

Parlois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I spoke, thou spokest. . F. parler. 

Parloit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he spoke. F< parler. 

Parlons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we speak, talk. F. parler. 

Psumi, prep, among. 

Parois, inf. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I appear, thou appearest. F. paroitre. 
Paroissent, ind. impf. 3 pi. they seemed, appeared. F. paroxtre. 
Paroissez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you appear. F. paroxtre. 
Paroissoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he appeared. F. paroxtre, 
Paroit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he appears, seems. F. paroxtre. 
Paroitra, ind. fat. 3 sin. he shall appear. F. paroxtre. 
Paroitre, inf. va. to appear, seem, be seen, peep, look. 
Parole, s.f word, saying, parole, promise. 
Parricide, a. parricidal, parricidious, murderous. 
Part, s.f. share, part, portion, concern, behalf, interest. 
Part, ind. pres. 3 sin. he departs, goes, sets out. F. partir. 
Partage, s. m. share, lot, partage, distribution, division. 
Partage, ind. or subj. pres* 1 or 3 sin. I divide, he may divide. F. 
partager. 

Partager, inf. va. to part, share, divide, participate, be concerned. 

Partent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they depart, go out. F. partir. 

Partez, ind. imp. 2 pi. depart ye. F. partir. 

Parthe, s. prop. m. Parthian. 

Parti, s. m. party, side, cabal, ways, means, cause. 

Participer, inf. vn. to participate, to share. 

Particulier-ere, a. substan. particular, extraordinary, a private man, 
Partie, s.f part, deal, parcel, portion. 
Partit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he departed, did go off. F. partir. 
Partout, ad. every where, all over. 

Paru-e, part, appeared, have seen, peeped, seemed. F. paroxtre. 
Parure, s.f. attire, finery, ornament, dress. 
Parurent, hid. pret. 3 pi. they appeared, seemed. F. paroitre. 
Parut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he appeared, seemed. F. paroxtre. 
Parvenir, inf. vn. to arrive, come, attain, reach, grow to, become. 
Parvenu- e, part, arrived, come, attained, grown to. Fa parvenir. 
Pas, s. m. a step, pace, footstep, track, tread, yard. 
Pas, ad. no, not. 



260 



PEI 



Passa ; ind. pret. 3 sin. he passed, passed by or through. F. passer. 
Passage, s. m. passage, intercourse, way, road, aperture. 
Passage-ere, a. passing, transient, desultory. 
Passager, s. m. a passenger. 

Passant, s. m. passenger, passer by, traveller, a whip-saw. 

Passant, ger. passing, passing by, going through. F. passer. 

Passe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I pass, he passes. F. passer. 

Passe, s. m. the time past, things past. 

Passer, inf. va. or vn. to pass, come, spend, go through. 

Passera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall pass. F. passer. 

Passereau, s.f. a sparrow. 

Passeront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will pass. F. passer. 
Passion, s.f. love, passion, fondness, affection, mind. 
Paternal-le, a. paternal, fatherly. 
Pathetique, a. pathetic, affecting. 

Patience, s.f. patience, endurance, forbearance, temper. 

Patriarcal-e, a. patriarchal. 

Patriarche, s. m. patriarch. 

Patrie, s. f one's native countiy, one's home. 

Patriotique, a. patriotic, public-spirited. 

Patriotisme, s. m. patriotism. 

Pature, s.f. pasturage, food, meat, herbage, feeding. 
Paupiere, s.f the eye-lid. 

Pauvre, s. m. a poor person, a beggar, a pauper. 

Pauvrete, s.f. poverty, want, poorness, penury, misery. 

Pavilion, s. m. pavilion, a sort of tent, flag, bell. 

Payer, inf. va. to pay. 

Pays, 5. ra. country, land, region, climate. 

Paysan-ne, s. m. or f a countryman or woman, a clown. 

Peau, s.f skin, hide, coat, leather, peel, rind. 

Pecheur-resse, s. m. or f a sinner, tresspasser, sinful man or wo- 
man. 

Peignent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they draw or paint. F. peindre t 

Peindre, inf. va. to draw, paint, delineate, depict, pencil, picture. 

Peine, s.f. pain, suffering, torment, labour, toil, trouble. 

Peint, ind. pres. 3 sin. he paints or describes. F. peindre. 

Peint-e, part, painted. F. peindre. 

Peinture, s.f painting, paint, picture, description. 



PER 



261 



Penchant, s. m. declivity, steepness, bending, propensity. 
Penche-e, part, bent, reclined, sloped down. F. pencher. 
Pencher, inf. va. to bend, bow down, recline, stoop, impend. 
Pend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he hangs, appends. F. pendre. 
Pendant, prep, during, for the space. 

Penetrant, ger. penetrating, piercing, fathoming. F. penetrer. 
Penetre, ind. pres. I or 3 sin. I penetrate, he penetrates. F. pene- 
trer. 

Penetre-e, part, penetrated, pierced, fathomed. F. penetrer. 
Penetrer, inf. va. or vn. to penetrate, pierce, pervade, fathom, sound. 
Penetrerent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they penetrated. F. penetrer. 
Pense, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I think, he thinks. F. peri' 
ser. 

Pensee, s. f. thought, cogitation, imagination, meaning. 
Pensent, ind. or subj. pres* 3 pi. they think,4hey may think. F, pen- 
ser. 

Penser, inf. va. or vn. to think, consider, believe, judge, suspect. 
Pensez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you think. F. penser. 
Pensif-ve, a. pensive, thoughtful. 
Pensois, ind. impf. 1 sin. I thought. F. penser. 
Pensons, ind. pres. 3 pi. we think, consider. F. penser. 
Pente, s.f. declivity, slope, descent, steepness, propensity. 
Pedant, ger. piercing, boring, cutting, penetrating. F. percer. 
Perce, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I pierce, he pierces. F. percer* 
Percer, inf. va. or vn. to pierce, bore, penetrate, cut, thrill. 
Perche, s.f. perch, rod, pole, lug, raip, rood. 
Perd, ind pres. 3 sin. he loses, consumes, spoils. F. perdre. 
Perdant, ger. losing, consuming, spoiling, straying. F. perdre. 
Perdent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they lose, they may lose. F. per- 
dre. 

Perdis, ind. pret. 1 or 2 sin. I did lose, thou didst lose. F. perdre. 
Perdit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he lost, consumed. F. perdre. 
Perdoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he lost, consumed. F. perdre. 
Perdre, inf. va. to lose, cast, spill, consume, spend, stray, break, 
Perdu-e, part, lost, consumed, spent, strayed. F. perdre. 
Pere, s. m. father, procreator, patron. 
Pereire, s. prop. m. a man's name. 

Perfection, s.f. perfection, accomplishment, completeness. 



262 



PER 



Perfectionne, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. 1 render or he renders 

perfect. F. perfectionner. 
Perfectionne-e, part, perfected, finished. F. perfectionner. 
Perfide, a. substan. perfidious, treacherous, base, false, felonious. 
Pergame, s. prop. f Pergama or Troy, a country renowned for the 

Trojan war. 

Peri-e, part, perished, died, lost, destroyed. F. perir. 
Pericles, s. prop. m. Pericles, an eminent Grecian. 
Peril, s. m. peril, danger, jeopardy, risk. 
Periode, s.f. period, conclusion. 

Perir, inf. vn. to perish, die, be lost, be destroyed, sink, fail. 

Perira, ind.fut. 3 sin. I will perish. F. perir. 

Periront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they shall perish. F. perir. 

Perissant, ger. perishing, dying, sinking, failing. F. perir. 

Perissoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they perished. F. perir. 

Perit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he perished, died. F. perir. 

Permet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he permits, allows, suffers. F. permettre. 

Permettons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we permit, allow, suffer. F. permettre. 

Permettre, inf. va. to permit, to allow. 

Permis-e , part, permitted, allowed, suffered, admitted. F. permettre. 

Peroraison, s.f. peroration, the conclusion of an oration. 

Perou, s. prop. m. Peru, a large and rich country in South America. 

Perpendiculaire, a. substan. f. perpendicular, plumb. 

Perpetuent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they perpetuate. F. perpetuer. 

Perplexite, s.f perplexity, irresolution, uncertainty. 

Perquisition, s.f. perquisition, quest, inquest, investigation. 

Perroquet, s.m. parrot, popinjay. 

Perse, s. prop. m. Persia, a large region in Asia. 

Persecuter, inf. va. to persecute. 

Persecution, s.f. persecution. 

PersonDage, s. m. person, man, personage, a man of eminence. 
Personne, a. pron. nobody, no man, none, any body, any one. 
Personne, s.f. a person, a man or woman, body, personage. 
Personnel-le, a. personal, relating to one's character or person. 
Perspective, s.f. perspective, prospect. 

Persuade -e 3 part. persuaded, induced, prevailed. F. persuader. 
Persuader, inf. va. to persuade, induce, prevail, advise, satisfy. 
Persuasion, s.f. persuasion, suggestion, solicitation. 



PIV 



263 



Perte, s.f. loss, waste, perdition, omission. 
Pesanteur, s.f. weight, heaviness. 

Pese, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I weigh, he weighs. F. peser. 

Pese-e, part . weighed, examined, considered. F. peser. 

Peste, s.f. pest, pestilence, plague, contagion, bane. 

Petit-e, a. substan. little, short, small, petty, diminutive, light. 

Peu, ad. little, but little, but a little, few, but a few. 

Peuple, s. m. people, folks, nation, multitude. 

Peur, s.f fear, fright, dread, dismay. 

Pent, ind. pres. 3 sin. he can, he is able. F. pouvoir. 

Peut-etre, ad. perhaps, may be, peradventure, possibly, haply. 

Peuvent, ind. pres. 3 sin. they can, are able. F. pouvoir. 

Peux, ind. pres. 2 sin. I can, thou canst. F. pouvoir. 

Pharaon, s.prop. m. Pharaoh. 

Pharnace, s. prop. m. Pharnaces, a son of Mithridates. 

Phelipeau, s. prop. m. Phelipeau, a member of the French convention, 

who was accused with Danton, Lacroix, and others, 
Phenomene, s. m. phenomenon. 
Philosophe, s. m. a philosopher, sophist, sage. 
Philosophic, s.f philosophy, wisdom. 
Philosophique, a. philosophic, philosophical. 
Phrase, s.f a phrase. 

Physionomie, 5./. look, looks, aspect, physiognomy. 

Piece, s.f. piece, part, bit, parcel, scrap, performance, 

Pied, s. m. foot, the heel. 

Piege, s. m. a snare. 

Pierre, s.f. a stone, flint. 

Pierreries, s.f. jewels, precious stones. 

Piete, s.f. piety, godliness, devoutness, devotion, holiness. 

Pieux-se, a. pious, godly, religious, holy, spiritual. 

Pilier, s m. pillar, post. 

Pin, s. m. pine, pine-tree, pitch-tree. 

Piquant-e, a. pricking, sharp, poignant. 

Piree, s.prop. m. the Piraeus, a harbour at Athens. 

Pistia, s.prop. in. Pistia. 

Pistolet, s. m. a pistol. 

Pitie, s.f. commiseration, mercy, pity, compassion. 
Pivert, s. m. woodpecker, green peak, witwall, rain fowl. 



264 



PLI 



Pla^a, ind. pret. 3 sin. he placed, put, laid, posted. F. placer. 
Place, s.f. place, room, square, stand, station, scope. 
Place-e, part, placed, put, laid, posted, set. F. placer. 
Placer, inf. va, to place, put, lay, post, instate, dispose, set. 
Pla^oit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he placed. F. placer. 
Plaie, s.f. wound, sore. 

Plaignoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he lamented, complained of. F. plain- 
dre. 

Plain, s. m. a plain. 

Plaindre, inf. va. to pity, compassionate, bewail, deplore, lament. 
Plains, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. i pity, thou pitiest. F. plaindre. 
Plaint, ind. pres. 3 sin. he pities, deplores. F. plaindre. 
Plaintif-ve, a. plaintive, complaining, doleful, mournful. 
Plaire, inf. vn. to please, be agreeable, humour, relish. 
Plaire (se), inf. vr. to delight in a thing, like it, love it, be pleased 
with it. 

Plaisanterie, s. f. pleasantly, jest, joke, banter, fun. 
Plaise, ind. subj. pres. 3 sin. it may please. F. plaire. 
Plaisir, s. in. pleasure, delight, joy, boon, solace, fancy. 
Plaisois, ind. impf 1 sin. I pleased. F. plaire. 
Plait, ind. pres. 3 sin. he pleases. F. plaire. 
Plan, s. m. plane, plan, plot, draught, design, model. 
Planer, inf. va. or vn. to hover, flit, plane, planish. 
Plantation, s.f. plantation, colony. 

Plante, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I plant, he plants. F. planter. 

Plante, s. f. plant, vegetable, a vineyard newly set. 

Planter, inf. va. to plant, set. 

Platane, s. m. plane-tree. 

Plebe, s.f. a rabble, mob. 

Plein-e, a. full, broad, plenary. 

Pleinement, ad. fully, entirely, pregnantly, completely. 

Plenier-ere, a. plenary, full. 

Plenitude, s.f. plenitude, fulness, repletion. 

Pleurer, inf. va. or vn. to cry, bewail, weep, lament, condole, be- 
moan. 

Pleurez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. weep|you. F. pleurer. 

Pleurs, s. m. tears. 

Plier, inf va. to fold, double, bend. 



POR 



265 



Plonge -e, part, plunged, sunk. F. plonger. 

Ployant, ger. bending, bowing, folding. F. ployer. 

Plumage, s. m. plumage, feathers. 

Plupart, s.f most, the greatest part, generality, main. 

Plus, ad. more, over, most, better, best. 

Plus, s. ?n. the most. 

Plusieurs, a. substan. many, several, divers ; a great many. 
Plutarque, s. prop. m. Plutarch, an ancient Greek writer. 
Plutot, ad. rather, sooner. 

Poche, s.f. pocket, bag, sack, pouch, craw of a bird. 

Poesie, s.f. poetry, poesy, poem, versification, song. 

Poete, s. m. a poet. 

Poetique, a. poetic, poetical. 

Poids, s. m. weight, load, gravity. 

Poignard, s. m. a poignard, dagger. 

Point, s. m. point, stop, a dot, a tittle, mark. 

Point, ad. no, not. 

Pointe, s.f point. 

Poison, s. m. poison. 

Poitrine, 5./. the chest, the breast, the lungs. 

Vo\i-e } part, adjec. polished, gracious, genteel, complacent. 

Politique, s.f. policy. 

Politique, a. politic, political. 

Polynice, s. prop. m. Polynices, a man's name. 

Pomme, «./. apple, head. 

Pompe, s.f pomp, splendour. 

Pompee, s. prop. m. Pompey, a celebrated Roman. 

Pompeux-se, a. pompous, grand, magnificent, majestic. 

Pont, s. m. a bridge, deck, platform. 

Populaire, a. popular, democratical, vulgar. 

Popularite, s.f. popularity. 

Port, s. m. harbour, haven, port, carriage, presence. 

Portant, ger. carrying, bearing, supporting. F. porter. 

Porte, s. f. a door, gate ; the Porte (Turkish court). 

Porte, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I carry, he carries. F. porter. 

Porte, imp. 2 sin. carry. F. porter. 

Porte-e, part, carried, borne, supported, worn, conveyed* F. porter. 
Portee, s.f. reach, spot. 

23 



•266 



POU 



Porter, inf. va. to carry, bear, support, convey, direct, bring. 

Portera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will cany. F. porter. 

Portion, s.f. portion, share. 

Portique, s. m. portico, piazza, lobby, porch. 

Portoient, ind. knpf 3 pi. they carried, did bear. F. porter. 

Portoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he carried, did bear. F. porter. 

Portrait, s. m. portrait, picture. 

Pose, ind. or subj.pres. 1 or 3 sin. I lay, he may lay. F. poser. 
Posseda, ind. pret. 3 sin. he possessed, enjoyed. F. posseder. 
Possede, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I possess, he may enjoy. F. 

posseder. 

Possede-e, part, possessed, enjoyed, held, mastered. F. posseder. 
Possedent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they possess. F. posseder. 
Posseder, inf. va. own. to possess, enjoy, master, hold, own, have. 
Posscdoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he possessed. F. posseder. 
Possesseur, s. m. possessor, owner, master, occupant, occupier. 
Possession, s.f possession, enjoyment, occupation. 
Possibiiite, s.f. possibility. 
Possible, a. possible. 

Posterite, s.f. posterity, issue, offspring, descent, children. 
Posture, s.f posture, attitude, way, footing. 
Poudreux-se, a. powdery, dusty. 

Pour, prep, for, on account of, considering, in order, although. 
Pourquoi, conj. why, for what, upon what account. 
Pourra, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will be able. F. pouvoir. 
Pourrois, ind. con. 1 or 2 sin. I should be able, he would be able. F. 
pouvoir. 

Pourroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should or would be able. F. pouvoir. 

Pourront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will be able. F. pouvoir. 

Poursuit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he follows. F. poursuivre. 

Poursuive, inf. va. to pursue, to follow. 

Poursuivoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he pursued. F. poursuivre. 

Pouitant, conj. however, howsoever, yet, notwithstanding, though. 

Pourvu-e, part, provided, supplied, furnished. F. pourvoir. 

Poussant, ger. pushing, thrusting, striking. F. pousser. 

Pousse, ind. or subj.pres. 1 or 3 sin. I push, he pushes. F. pousser. 

Pousse-e,7?ar£. pushed, thrust, struck, shoved. F. pousser. 

Pousser, inf. va. or vn. to push, thrust, strike, shove, shoot, sprout, bud. 

Poussiere, s.f dust. 



PRE 



267 



Poussoit, ind. imp/. 3 sin. he pushed. F. pousser. 
Pouvant, ger. being able, having the faculty. F. pouvoir. 
Pouvez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you are able, or you can. F. pouvoir. 
Pouvoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they could, were able. F. pouvoir. 
Pouvoir, inf. va. or vn. to be able, may, might, have the power. 
Pouvoir, s. m. power, authority, influence, faculty, capacity. 
Pouvois, ind. impf 1 or 2 sin. I could, thou couldst. F. pouvoir. 
Pouvoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he could, was able. F. pouvoir. 
Prairial (le 24), s. the name of a month in the new French calendar, the 

24th. day of which corresponded to the^l3th of June. 
Prairie, s,f. meadow, field, prairie. 
Precaution, s.f precaution. 

Precede, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I precede, he precedes. F. 
preceder. 

Precede-e, part, preceded, forerun, foregone. F. preceder. 
Precedemment, ad. before, formerly, heretofore. 
Preceder, inf. va. to precede. 

Precieux-se, a. precious, costly, valuable, affected, prim. 
Precipitant, ger. precipitating, pushing, rushing. F. precipiter. 
Precipite, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I precipitare or he precipitates. 
F. precipiter. 

Precipite-e, part, precipitated, pushed, rushed. F. precipiter. 
Precipitent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they precipitate. F. precipiter. 
Precipiter (se), inf. vr. to precipitate one's self, to run into an abyss. 
Precis -e, a. precise, certain, particular, exact, distinct. 
Precision, s.f. precision, brevity, briefness, preciseness. 
Precoce, a. premature, precocious. 
Precurseur, s. m. precursor, forerunner. 
Predilection, s.f. predilection. 
Predit-e, part, predicted. F. predire. 

Prefere, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I prefer, he prefers. F. preferir. 
Preference, s.f. preference, selection. 
Preferir, inf. va. to prefer. 

Prejuge, s. m. precedent, prejudication, prejudice. 
Premature-e, a. premature, untimely, immature. 
Premier-ere, a. substan. first, leading, original, the first. 
Prenant, ger. taking", apprehending, robbing. F. prendre. 
Prend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he takes, apprehends. F. prendre. 



268 



PRE 



Prendriez, ind. con. 2 pi. you would take, apprehend. F. prendre. 
Prendront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will take. F. prendre. 
Prends, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I take, thou takest. F. prendre. 
Prends, imp. 2 sin. take thou. F. prendre. 
Prennent, ind. subj. pres. 3 pi. they may take. F. prendre. 
Prenoient, ind. imp/. 3 pi. they took. F. prendre. 
Prenoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he took, seized. F. prendre. 
Preoccupation, s.f. prejudice. 

Prepare, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I prepare, he prepares, or may 

prepare. F. preparer. 
Prepare-e, ^>ar£. prepared, composed, provided. F. preparer. 
Preparer, inf. va. to prepare, compose, dispose, provide, cook. 
Preparerent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they prepared. F. preparer. 
Pres (de), ad. near, hard by, close, about, nearly. 
Presage, s. m. presage, omen, portend, sign. 

Presage, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I presage, he may presage. 
Presageat, subj. imp. 3 sin. he should presage. F. presager. 
Prescrit-e, part, prescribed. F. prescrire. 
Presence, s.f. presence, locality, place, face, assistance. 
Present, s. m. present, boon, gift, donative, the present tense. 
Present-e, a. present, presentaneous. 

Presentant, ger. presenting, offering, exhibiting. P. presenter. 
Presente, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I present, he presents, offers. 
F. presenter. 

Presente-e, part, presented, offered, exhibited. F. presenter. 
Presentent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they present, they may present. 
F. presenter. 

Presentera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will present. F. presenter. 
Presenter, inf. va. to present, exhibit, offer, tender, dedicate, give. 
Presenter, (se), inf. vr. to appear, offer, or present itself, occur. 
Presentoit, ind. impf. 3 .sin. he presented. F. presenter. 
Preserve, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I preserve, he may preserve. 

F. preserver. 
President, s. m. president, chairman, speaker. 
Presidez, ind. imp. 2 pi. preside you. Y.presider. 
Presque, ad. almost, even almost, very near, muchwhat. 
Presse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I press, he may press. F. presser. 
Presse-e, part, pressed, squeezed, impressed. F. presser. 



PRI 



269 



Prendre, inf. va. to fake, apprehend, fetch, assume, hold, rob. 

Presse-e, ad. in haste, in a hurry, precipitantly, abundant. 

Pressent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they press, they may press. F.presser. 

Pressentiment, s. m. presentiment, foresight, surmise. 

Pressoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he pressed. F. presser. 

Pret-e, a. ready, in readiness, at hand, prepared, near. 

Prete, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. 1 lend, he may lend. F. priter. 

Pretend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he pretends. F. pretendre. 

Pretendenl, ind. pres. 3 pi. they pretend. F. pretendre. 

Pretendoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he pretended. F. pretendre. 

Pretends, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I claim or aspire, thou claim- 

est. F. pretendre. 
Pietendu-e,^?ar£. claimed, challenged, pretended. F. pretendre. 
Pretent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they lend or afford. F. preter. 
Pretention, s.f. pretention, claim, aim, design, pretence, challenge. 
Preter, inf. va. to lend, give, afford. 
Preuve, s.f. proof, evidence, testimony, reason, example. 
Prevaloir (se), inf. vr. to take advantage, improve, glory or pride in. 
Prevaricateur, s. m. prevaricator. 
Prevenir, inf. va. to prevent, outstart, prejudice. 
Prevenu-e, part, prevented, anticipated, prejudiced. F. prevenir. 
Prevint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he prepossessed, obtained. F. prevenir. 
Prevoir, inf. va. to foresee, foreknow. 

Prevoyance, s.f. foresight, forecast, providence, cautiousness. 

Prevu-e, part, foreseen, foreknown. F. prevoir. 

Pria, ind. pret. 3 sin. he desired, implored, entreated. F. prier. 

Priant, ger. desiring, imploring, entreating. F. prier. 

Prie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I pray, he may pray. F. prier 

Prie-e, part, prayed, desired, implored, entreated. F. prier. 

Priere, s.f. desire, request, prayer, entreaty, petition. 

Primitif-ve, a. primitive, original, primeval, first, ancient. 

Prince, s. m. prince, potentate. 

rincesse, s.f princess (daughter or wife of a prince). 

rincipal-e, a. principal, capital, considerable, material. 
Mncipe, s. m. principle, rise, original, reason, spring. 
Printemps, s. m. the spring, May. 
Pris-e, part, took, taken. F. prendre. 
Prison, s.f. prison, gaol or jail, confinement, cage. 

23* 



270 



PRO 



Prisonnier, s. m. a prisoner. 

Prit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he took, apprehended. F. prendre. 
Prive-e, part, deprived, bereaved, debarred. F. priver. 
Privent, ind. pres. 3 pi. ihey deprive. F. priver. 
Privilege, s. m. privilege. 
Privilegie-e, a. privileged. 

Prix, s. m. price, rate, value, worth, merit, prize. 
Probleme, s. m. problem. 
Proces, s. m. trial. 
Proche, prep, near, nigh. 

Proche, a. near, next, near at hand, neighbour, hard by. 
Proclame-e, part, proclaimed, cried, announced. F. proclamer. 
Procurent, ind, or subj. pres. 3 pi. they procure. F. procurer. 
Procurer, inf. va. to procure, bring, purvey, avail, fetch. 
Prodige, s. m. prodigy, wonder, marvel. 
Prodigieux-se, a. prodigious, monstrous. 
Productif-ve, a. productive. 

Production, s.f. production, performance, exhibition. 
Produira, ind. fat. 3 sin. he will produce. F. produire. 
Produire, inf. va. to produce, compose, write, show, heget, generate. 
Produisit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he produced, composed. F. produire. 
Produisoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he produced, composed. F. produire. 
Produit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he produces, composes. F. produire. 
Produit, s. m. produce, profit, increase. 

Produit-e, part, produced, composed, generated. F. produire. 
Profanateur, s. m. profaner. 

Profeia, ind. pret. 3 sin. he uttered. F. proferer. 
Proferent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they utter. F. proferir. 
Profite-e, part, profited, gained, improved. F.projiter. 
Profiter, inf. vn. to profit, gain, improve, benefit, thrive. 
Profond-e, a. deep, profound, abstruse, adept, heavy. 
Profondement, ad. deep, deeply, profoundly, low. 
Profondeur, s. m. depth, profoundness, greatness. 
Progres, s. m. progression, progress, process, improvement. 
Proie, s.f prey, booty, capture, quarry. 
Projet, s. m. project, design, contrivance, enterprize. 
Prolonge, ind. or subj. pres f 1 or 3 sin. I prolong, he may protract. 
F. prolonger. 



PRU 



271 



Prolongeoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they prolonged. F. prolonger. 
Promene {me), ind. or subj. pres. 1 "or 3 sin. I walk, he may walk. 
F. promener. 

Promenoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he walked. F. promener. 
Promet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he promises, engages. F. promettre. 
Promettoient, ind. impf. 3jpZ. they promised. F. promettre. 
Promettoit, hid. impf. 3 sin. he promised. F. promettre. 
Promis-e, part, promised, engaged. F. promettre. 
Prompt-e, a. quick, speedy, sudden, swift, prompt, fast. 
Promptitude, s.f. quickness, speed, activity, readiness. 
Prononqant, ger. pronouncing, uttering. F. prononcer. 
Prononce, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I pronounce. F, pronon- 
cer. 

Prononce-e, ^>czrf. pronounced, articulated. F. prononcer. 

Prononcer, inf. va. to pronounce, articulate, utter, decide. 

Prophete, s. m. prophet. 

Propice, a. propitious, favorable. 

Proportion, s.f. proportion, agreement, measure. 

Proportione-e, a. proportionate, fit, agreeable, adequate. 

Propose-e, part, proposed, offered, propounded. F. proposer. 

Proposition, s.f. proposition, agreement, measure, harmony. 

Proposoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he proposed. F. proposer. 

Propre, a. own, very, proper, fit, convenient, agreeable, natural. 

Proprete, s.f. cleanness, cleanliness, neatness, delicacy. 

Propriete, s.f. propriety, property, affection, virtue, faculty. 

Proscription, s.f. proscription, outlawry. 

Proscrit, s. m. outlaw, a proscribed person. 

Proscrit-e, part, proscribed, outlawed, banished. F. proscrire. 

Prosperite, s.f. prosperity, auspiciousness, felicity, welfare. 

Protecteur, s. m. protector, supporter. 

Proue, s.f. prow (the head of a ship), rostrum, stem. 

Prouvat, ind. pret. 3 sin. he proved. F. prouver. 

Prouve-e, part, proved. F. prouver. 

Proverbe, s. m. proverb, adage, saying, common saying. 

Providence, s.f. providence. 

Province, s.f. province, a province. 

Provoque-e, part, provoked, promoted, excited. F. provoquer. 
Prudence, s.f. prudence. 



272 



QUA 



Prudent-te, a. prudent. 

Pu, part, could, been able, might. F. pouvoir. 

Public-que, a. public, common, general, national, notorious. 

Publication, s.f. publication, publishing, divulging. 

Publier, inf. va. to publish, proclaim, divulge, announce, declare. 

Publions, ind. pres. 1 pi. we publish. F. publier. 

Puis, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I can, am able. F. pouvoir. 

Puis, ad. then, afterwards, after that. 

Puisqu', an abbreviation of puisque. 

Puisque, conj. since, seeing, seeing that, in as much as. 

Puissance, s.f. power, potency, virtue, quality. 

Puissant-e, a. powerful, potent, mighty, virtuous. 

Puisse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or it may be able. F. pou- 
voir. 

Puissent, subj. pres. 3 pi. they may be able. F. pouvoir. 
Puissiez, subj. pres. 3 pi. you may be able. F. pouvoir. 
Puits, s. m. a well, a vent. 

Punir, inf. va. to punish, chastise, correct, castigate, flog. 
Pur-e, a. pure, mere, unmingled, naked, unmixed. 
Purement, ad. purely, merely. 
Purete, s.f. purity. 
Purifier, inf. va. to purify. 

Put, ind. pret. 3 sin. he could, he is able. F. pouvoir. 
Pygmee, s. ?n. pigmy, dwarf. 
Pyramide, s.f. pyramid, spire. 

Q. 

Qu', a contraction of, que, that. 

Quadrupede, a. substan. m. quadruped, four-footed, a four-footed ani- 
mal. 

Qualite, s.f. quality, size, capacity, condition, state, place. 
Quand, ad. when, what time, though, although, if. 
Quantite, s.f. quantity, matter, bulk, size, bigness. 
Quarante, a. num. forty. 

Quart, s. m. a quarter, the fourth part, a quarter of an hour. 
Quartier, s. m. a quarter, the fourth part. 



RAN 



273 



Quatre, s. num. four. 

Que, con], when, if, as, that, but. 

Que, rel. pron. whom, what, which, that, of whom, to whom. 
Quel-le, rel. pron. who, whom, which. 
Quelqu', contraction of quelque. 

Quelque, a. or def. art. some, any, whatever, whatsoever. 
Quelquefois, ad. sometimes. 

Querelle ; s.f. quarrel, contest, debate, difference, dispute. 
Question, s.f. question, demand, interrogatory. 
Queue, s.f tail, train, cue. 

Qui, rel. pron. who, which, that, whoever, whosoever. 
Quiconque, pron. whoever. 

Quito, s. prop. m. Quito, a place in South America. 
Quittant, ger. quitting, forsaking, leaving. F. quitter. 
Quitte-e, part, quitted, forsaken, left, avoided. F. quitter. 
Quitterai, ind.fut. 1 sin. I will quit. F. quitter. 
Quoi, rel. pron. which, that which, what, whatever. 
Quoique, conj. although, though, however. 

R. 

Radeau-x, s.f. a raft, a float of timber. 
Radieux-euse, a. radiant, beamy, shining, glittering. 
Raffermit, ind. pres. 3 sin. it shuts again. F. raffermir. 
Rage, s.f. madness, rage, mania, fury. 
Raisin, s. m. grape. 

Raison, s.f. reason, right, equity, justice, satisfaction, cause. 
Ralenti-e, part, slacked, diminished, relented, lessened. F. ralen- 
tir. 

Ralentit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he relented, slackened. F. ralentir. 
Rallier, inf. va. to rally, regain a station. 
Rallume-e, part, lighted, kindled. F. rallumer. 
Ramas, s. m.. collection, heap. 

Ramasser, inf. va. to gather, collect, compile, aggregate, muster. 
Rameau-eaux, s. m. bough, branch, palm. 
Ramena, ind. pret. 3 sin. he brought again. F. ramener. 
Ramener, inf. va. to bring again, bring back, lead back. 



274 



RAS 



Ran^on, s.f. ransom, redemption. 
Rang, s. m. range, row, array, rank, place, order. 
Range-e, part, put, placed, ranged, marshalled. F. ranger. 
Rangea, ind. pres. 3 sin. he ranged, put, placed. F. ranger. 
Rangent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they range. F. ranger. 
Ranger, inf. va. to range, put, place, marshal, stow. 
Ranime, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I revive, he revives. F. 
ranimer. 

Ranimer, inf. va. to reanimate, revive, recreate. 
Raoul, s. prop. m. Ralph, a man's name. 
Rapide, a. rapid, quick, swift, violent. 
Rapidement, ad. rapidly, swiftly, fleetly, lightly, fast. 
Rapidite, s.f. rapidity, swiftness, celerity. 

Rappela, ind. pret. 3 sin. he recalled, recollected. F. rappeler. 
Rappelant, ger. recalling, recollecting, reminding. F. rappeler. 
Rappeler, inf. va. to recall, recollect, remind, reclaim, revocate. 
Rappelez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you recall, recollect. F. rappeler. 
Rappelle, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I recall, he recollects. F. 
rappeler. 

Rapport, s. m. revenue, produce, profit, report, account, relation. 
Rapprocha, ind. pret. 3 sin. he drew near again, brought together. F. 
rapprocher. 

Rapprochant, ger. drawing near, bringing nearer. F. rapprocher. 
Rapproche, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I draw near again. F. rap- 
procher. 

Rapprochent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they approach or bring near. F. rappro- 
cher. 

Rapprocher, inf. va. to draw near again, bring nearer. 
Rare, a. uncommon, unusual, extraordinary, exquisite. 
Rarement, ad. rarely, seldom, unfrequently, unusually. 
Rassasie-e, part, filled, satisfied, satiated. F. rassasier. 
Rassemblant, ger. gathering together, collecting, joining. F. rassem- 
bier. 

Rassemble, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I collect, he may join. F. 
rassembler. 

Rassemble-e, part, collected, gathered together, joined. F. rassem- 
bler. 

Rassemblent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they collect. F. rassembler. 



REC 



275 



Rassembler, inf. va. to gather together, collect, join, contract. 

Rassurer, inf. va. to secure, encourage, reassure, put in heart again. 

Rassurez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you secure, reassure, F. rassurer. 

Ravage-e, part, ravaged, ransacked, desolated. F. ravager. 

Ravagea, ind. pret. 3 sin. he ravaged, desolated. F. ravager. 

Ravagent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they ravage, desolate. F. ravager. 

Ravi-e, part, ravished, robbed, charmed. F. ravir. 

Ravir, inf. va. to ravish, rob, wrest from, charm, enrapture. 

Ravissant, ger. ravishing, robbing, charming. F. ravir. 

Ravissant-e, a. rapacious, ravening, ravenous, voracious, charming. 

Ravissement, s. m. ravishment, ecstacy, admiration. 

Ravisseur, s. m. a ravisher, abuser, violater. 

Ravit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he ravishes, robs. F. ravir. 

Raynal, s. prop. m. Raynal, a French writer. 

Rayon, s. m. ray, gleam, beam, spar, spoke, furrow. 

Realiser, inf. va. to realise, fulfil, accomplish. 

Realite, s.f reality, deed, effect, fact, body, substance. 

Rebelle, a. substan. rebellious, disobedient, a revolter, a rebel. 

Rebellion, s.f rebellion, revolt, rising, insurrection. 

Recent-e, a. recent, fresh, new, lately done or happened, green. 

Reception, s.f. reception. 

Recevoir, inf. va. to receive, accept, take, take in, let in, into. 
Recevois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I received, thou acceptedst. F. rece- 
voir. 

Recevrez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall receive. F. recevoir. 
Recherche, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I search. F. rechercher. 
Recherche, s.f. search, research, inquiry, perquisition, inquest. 
Rechercher, inf. va. to seek again, question, research, court, finish. 
Reciproque, a. substan. reciprocal, mutual, commutual. 
Recit, s. in. recital, relation, account, report, narration. 
Reclusion, s.f impiisonment, confinement. 
Re^oit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he receives. F. recevoir. 
Recolte, s.f. crop, harvest, gathering, increase. 

Recommencent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they recommence, he may 

renew. F. recommencer. 
Recompense, s.f reward, requital, recompense, remuneration. 
Reconnoissance, s.f. gratitude, recognition, discovery. 
Reconnoissant, ger. knowing again, recognising. F. reconnoitre. 



276 



REF 



Reconnoit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he recognises. F. reconnoitre. 
Reconnoitre, inf. va. to know again, recognise, descry, single. 
Reconnut, ind. pret. 1 or 2 pi. I recognised, thou recognisedst. F. 

reconnoitre. 

Recourbe, ind. pres. 3 sin. he bends. F. recourber. 
Recu-e, part, received, accepted, admitted. F. recevoir. 
Recueil, s. m. collection, compilation, body. 
Recueillement, 5. m. recollection. 

Recueilli-e, part, gathered, reaped, selected. F. recueillir, 
Recueillir, inf. va. to gather, reap, select, raise, reassemble, call. 
Reculant, ger. putting, puling, or drawing back. F. reenter. 
Recule, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I put back, he may put back. 
F. reenter. 

Recule-e, part, put, pulled, or drawn back. F. reenter. 
Reculer, inf. va. to recoil, draw back, delay, retard, remove. 
Recnrent, ind. pret. 3 pt. they received, accepted. F. recevoir. 
Recus, ind. pret. 1 or 2 sin. I received, thou receivedst. F. recevoir. 
Redouble-e, j?ar£. redoubled, increased, reiterated. F. redoubter. 
Redoutable, a. dreadful, formidable, redoubtable, awful. 
Redoute, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I dread, he dreads. F. redou- 
ter. 

Redoute-e, part, dread, redoubted, feared. F. redouter. 
Redouter, inf. va. to dread, fear. 

Reduire, inf. va. to reduce, compel, oblige, bring in, abridge, turn. 
Reduit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he reduces, compels. F. reduire. 
Reduit-e, part, compelled, reduced, obliged. F. reduire. 
Reel-le, a. real, true, positive, effective, genuine, solid. 
Reellement, ad. really. 

Referme, ind. pres. 3 sin. he or it closes again. F. refermer. 
Reflechi-e, a. reflected, reflectant, reflexive. 

Reflechir, inf. va. or vn. to reflect upon, consider, pause, reason, ru- 
minate. 

Reflechissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they reflect. F. reflechir. 
Reflechissoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they reflected. F. reflechir. 
Reflechissois, ind. impf. 1 sin. I reflected. F. reflechir. 
Reflechit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he reflects, thinks. F. reflechir. 
Reflexion, s.f. reflexion, consideration, contemplation. 
Refugia, ind. pret. 3 sin. he took refuge, retired. F. refugier. 



REJ 



277 



Refusa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he refused, rejected. F. refuser. 
Refuse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I refuse, he refuses. F. refu- 
ser. 

Refuser, inf. va. or vn. to refuse, deny, reject, repulse, rebuff. 
Regard, s. m. look, looks, countenance, aspect. 
Regarda, ind. pret. 3 sin. he looked, beheld. F. regarder. 
Regardant, ger. looking, beholding, considering. F. regarder. 
Regarde, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I look, he may regard. F. 
regarder. 

Regarde, imp. 2 or 3 sin. let him look, regard thou. F. regarder. 
Regarde-e ; part, looked, looked at, beheld, viewed, regarded. F. re* 
garder. 

Regarder, inf. va. to look, look at, behold, view, gaze, glance, regard. 
Regarde rent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they looked, regarded. F. regarder. 
Regardoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they regarded. F. regarder. 
Regardois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I regarded. F. regarder. 
Regardoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he regarded, looked. F. regarder. 
Regence, s.f. regency. 

Regent-e, s. m. regent, the principal of a school. 
Regime, s. m. government, administration. 
Regiment, s. m. a regiment, a whole troop, army. 
Regissez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you govern, rule. F. regir. 
Regie, s.f. rule, order, method, 

Regie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I rule, regulate. F. regler. 
Regle-e, part, ruled, regulated, adjusted. F. regler. 
Reglera, ind.fut. 3 sin. it will rule. F. regler. 

Regne, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I reign, he may reign. F. re- 
gner. 

Regne, s. m. reign, regentship. 

Regner, inf. vn. to reign, rule, be in vogue or fashion, reach along. 
Regret, s. m. regret, concern, grief, grudging. 

Regrette, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I regret, grieve. F. regretter. 
Reguiier-ere, a. regular, orderly, ordinal, ordinary, uniform. 
Regulierement, ad. regularly, constantly, orderly, daily. 
Rehabiliter, inf. va. to reestablish. 
Reine, s.f. the queen, wife of a king. 
Reitere,2?ar£. reiterated, repeated, F. reiterer. 
Rejaillit, ind. pres. 3 sin. it spirts or spouts up. F. rejaillir. 
24 



278 



REN 



Rejete-e, part, thrown back, rejected, slighted, despised. F. rejeter. 

Rejeter, inf. va. to throw back, cast out, exclude, slight, reject. 

Rejetons, imp. Ipl. let us cast. F. rejeter. 

Rejouit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he rejoices, pleases. F. rejouir. 

Relativement, ad. relatively, comparatively, respectively. 

Releve, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I raise again. F. relever. 

Releve-e, part, raised again, gathered up, repairing. F. relever. 

Relevent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they raise again. F. relever. 

Religieux-se, a. religious, spiritual, pious, godly. 

Religion, s.f. religion, piety, godliness. 

Relique, s.f. relic, remains. 

Remarquable, a. remarkable, observable, considerable. 

Remarquer, inf. va. to mark again, remark, note, observe, find. 

Rembrunit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he made darker. F. rembrunir. 

Remede, s. m. remedy, cure, medicine, salve. 

Remet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he reinstates. F. remettre. 

Remis-e } part, replaced, remitted. F. remettre. 

Remit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he reinstated, remitted. F. remettre. 

Remonter, inf. va. or vn. to reascend, remount, go up again, ascend. 

Remords, s. m. remorse, checks, grudge, compunction. 

Rempart, s. m. rampart, bulwark. 

Remplacer, inf. va. to replace, succeed, compensate, recruit. 
Hem\)\i-e, part, rilled, filled up, crammed, stored. F. remplir. 
Remplir, inf. va. to fill, fill up, cram, store, replenish, occupy. 
Remplissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they replenish. F. remplir. 
Remplit, ind. pres. or pret. 3 sin. he replenished, or replenishes, fills. 
F. remplir. 

Remuoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he moved. F. remuer. 
Renaissant, ger. growing up again, reviving. F. renaitre. 
Renaissant-e, a. springing up again. 
Renaissoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he revived. F. renaitre. 
Renait, ind. pres. 3 sin. he revives. F. renaitre. 
Renaitre, inf. va. to revive. 

Rencontra, ind. pret. 3 sin. he met, encountered. F. rencontrer. 
Rencontre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I meet or may meet. F. ren- 
contrer. 

Rencontre, s.f. encounter, rencounter, collision, accident. 
Rencontre-e, part, encountered, met, lighted upon. F. rencontrer. 



REP 



279 



Rend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he renders, returns, restores. F. rendre. 
Rende, subj. pres. 3 sin. he may return or restore. F. rendre. 
Rendent, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 pi. they render. F. rendre. 
Rendez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you render, return, restore. F. rendre. 
Rendit, ind.pret. 3 sin. he rendered, returned. F. rendre. 
Rendoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he rendered, returned. F. rendre. 
Rendre, inf. va. to render, return, restore, give, yield, produce. 
Rends, ind. pres. I or 2 sin. I render, return, restore. F. rendre. 
Rendu-e, part, rendered, returned, restored. F. rendre. 
Rene, s.f. rein. 

Renferme-e, part, inclosed, contained, included. F. renfermer. 
Renomme-e, part, renowned, famous, noted, celebrated, famed. F. 
renommer. 

Renommee, s.f. fame, reputation, celebrity, renown, glory. 

Renonce, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I renounce, or he may re- 
nounce. F. renoncer. 

Renonce-e, part, renounced, forsaken, waived. F. renoncer. 

Renouvela, ind. pret. 3 sin. he renewed. F. renouveler. 

Renouvelle, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I renew, or may revive. F. 
renouveller. 

Renouvellerent, ind.pret. 3 pi. they renewed. F. renouveller. 
Renverse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I throw or may throw down. 
F. renverser. 

Renverse-e, part, thrown down, inverted, crushed, dashed. F. renver- 
ser. 

Renversement, s. m. pulling down, overthrow, destruction, ruin. 
Renverser, inf. va. to throw down, invert, crush, dash, demolish, baf- 
fle. 

Renvoye-e, part, dismissed, returned, discharged. F. renvoyer. 
Repand, ind. pres. 3 sin. he spills, spreads, diffuses. F. repandre. 
Repandant, ger. spilling, spreading, diffusing. F. repandre. 
Repandent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they spill, may spread, diffuse. F. 
repandre. 

Repandiez, ind. impf. 2 pi. you spill, spread. F. repandre. 
Repandit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he spilled, spread, diffused. F. repandre. 
Repandrai, ind. fat. 1 sin. I will distribute or pour. F. repandre. 
Repandre, inf. va. to spill, shed, scatter, distribute, propagate, spread. 
Repandu-e, part, spilled, shed, distributed. F. repandre. 



280 



REP 



Repare, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I repair, he may restore. F. repa- 

rer. 

Reparer, inf. va. to repair, mend, restore, atone, revive, redeem. 
Reparoissoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he appeared again. F. reparoitre. 
Reparoit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he appears again. F. reparoitre. 
Reparti-e,^>ar/. divided, distributed, assessed. F. repartir. 
Repas, s. m. repast, meal, dinner, supper, feast. 
Repassant, ger. repassing. F. repasser. 
Repentir, 5. m. repentance, sorrow, contrition, penitence. 
Repete, ind. pres. 3 sin. he repeats. F. repeter. 
Repetent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they repeat. F. repeter. 
Repeter, inf. va. to repeat, rehearse, resound, tell over again. 
Repetoit, ind. i?npf. 3 sin. he repeated, rehearsed. F. repeter. 
Repli, s. m. a fold, a flock of sheep, limit, boundary, an involution. 
Repond, ind. pres. 3 sin. he answers. F. repondre. 
Repondent, ind. pres. 3 pi. thy answer. F. repondre. 
Repondit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he replied. F. repondre. 
Repondoient, ind. impf 3 pi. they answered. F. repondre. 
Repondre, inf. va. or vn. to answer, return* respond, repeat, reply. 
Reponse, s.f answer, return, refutation, defence, repartee. 
Reportons, imp. 1 pi. let us refer. F. reporter. 
Repos, s. m. rest, repose, respite, quiet, peace, tranquillity. 
Reposa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he rested, lay still, settled. F. reposer. 
Repose, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I settle, he may repose. F. re- 
poser. 

Reposes, ind. pres. 2 sin. thou reposest. F. reposer. 
Reposoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he rested, reposed* lay down. F. reposer. 
Repousse, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I repulse, repel. F. repous- 
ser. 

Repousse-e,jpar£. repelled, repulsed, sprouted, budded again. F. repous- 
ser. 

Reprenant, ger. retaking, resuming, reprimanding. F. reprendre. 
Reprendra, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall retake, resume. F. reprendre. 
Reprendre, inf. va. to retake, to resume. 
Representant-e, s. m. actor, representative, representation. 
Representation, s.f. exhibition, representation, image, sign. 
Represente, ind. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I represent, he represents, 
gepresentent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they represent. F. representcr 



RES 



281 



Representee inf. va. or vr. to represent, exhibit, produce, show, de- 
scribe. 

Representee, ind. fat, 3 sin. he will represent. F. representer. 
Representez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you represent, show. F. representer. 
Reprimer, inf. va. to repress, restrain, curb, censure, rebuke, reflect. 
Reproche, s. m. reproach, imputation, charge, accusation. 
Reproche, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I reproach, upbraid. F. re- 
procher. 

Reprocher, inf. va. to reproach, upbraid, accuse, impeach, lay to. 
Reprochoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they reproached. F. reprocher. 
Reproduire, inf. va. to reproduce, regenerate, produce anew. 
Reproduisez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you reproduce. F. reproduire, 
Reproduisit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he reproduced. F. reproduire. 
Reproduisoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he reproduced. F. reproduire. 
Reprouve, s. ?n. reprobate, cast away, miscreant, wretch. 
Reprouve-e, part, reproved, rejected, disallowed. F. reprouver. 
Republicain-e, a. or s. m. republican. 
Republique, s.f republic, commonwealth, weal, state. 
Repugnance*, s.f repugnance, opposition. 
Reputation, s. f. repute, report, reputation, fame. 
Reseau-x, s. m, a little net, netting, net-work, net shawl. 
Reserve, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I reserve, retain. F. reserver. 
Reserve, s.f. reserve, limitation, caution, modesty, discretion. 
Reserve-e, part, reserved, retained, saved. F. reserver. 
Reside, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I reside, he may reside. F. re- 
sider. 

Resistance, s.f. resistance, opposition, difficulty, rebuff. 
Resiste, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I resist, he may oppose. F. 
resister. 

Resister, inf. vn. to resist, oppose, withstand, outstand, be against. 
Resolu-e, a. substan. resolute, bold, determined, a resolute man or 
woman. 

Resolus, ind. pret. 1 or 2 sin. I determined, resolved. F. resoudre. 
Resolut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he resolved, determined. F resoudre, 
Resoudre, (se), inf. vr. to resolve, be resolved, form a resolution. 
Respect, s. m. regard, consideration, respect, reverence, 
Respecta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he respected, honoured. F. respecter. 
Respectable, a. respectable, venerable, awful, august. 

24* 



282 



RET 



Respectant, ger. respecting, venerating, revering. F. respecter. 
Respectat, subj. pret. 3 sin. he should respect. F. respecter, 
Respecte, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I respect, he honours. F. 
respecter. 

Respectueux-se, a. respectful, humble, submissive, reverential. 
Respire, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I respire, he breathes. F. 
respirer. 

Respire-e, part, respired, breathed, inspired. F. respirer. 
Respirer. inf. va. or vn. to respire, breathe, inspire, exhale, have res- 
spite. 

Resplendissant, a. resplendent. 

Ressemblance, s.f. resemblance, likeness, similitude. 
Ressemble, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I ressemble, or it resembles.. 
F. ressembler. 

Ressemblent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they resemble. F. ressembler, 
Ressembler, inf va. to resemble, be like, symbolize, take after. 
Ressembloient, ind. impf 3 pi. they resembled, were like. F. res- 
sembler. 

Ressentent, ind. or subj pres. 3 pi. they feel, share. F. ressentir. 
Ressenti-e, part, felt, shared, affected. F. ressentir. 
Ressentir (se) 9 inf. vr. to share, resent, have still some grudging of it. 
Resserre-e, part, fastened, bound up, contracted. F. resserrer. 
Ressort, s. m. spring, resort, secret way, district, jurisdiction. 
Ressource, s.f. shift, remedy, help, refuge, resource, resort. 
Ressusciter, inf vn. to resuscitate, raise from the dead, raise. 
Resta, ind. pret. 3 sin. he remained, stayed. F. rester. 
Reste, s. m. rest, remaining part, residue. 

Reste, ind. or subj pres. 1 or 3 sin. i remain, stay, he lives. F. rcs- 
ter. 

Reste, s. m. rest, remainder, remnant, residue, refuse. 

Reste - e, part, remained, stayed, lived, dwelt. F. raster. 

Restent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they remain, stay, dwell. F. rester. 

Restera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall remain, stay, dwell. F. rester. 

Resterent, ind < pret. 3 pi. they stayed, remained, dwelled. F. rester. 

Restoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he remained, stayed, dwelt. F. rester. 

Resultat, s.m. result, conclusion. 

Retabli-e, part, re-established, repaired, reduced. F. retablir. 
Retablir, inf. va. to re-establish, repair, revive, renew, reduce, restore. 



REV 



283 



Retarde, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I retard, or he may retard. F. 
retarder. 

Retenant, ger. keeping, reserving, detaining, suppressing. F. retenir. 
Retenfr, inf. va. to keep, reserve, detain, withhold, suppress, hinder. 
Retentir, inf. vn. to resound, to echo. 

Retentissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they resound. F. retentir. 
Retentit, ind. or subj. pres. 3 sin. he resounds, rings, jingles. F. re- 
tentir. 

Retenu-e, part, retained, withholden, kept. F. retenir. 
Retenue, s. in. discretion, circumspection, caution, modesty. 
Reticence, s.f. suppression, concealment. 

Retient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he retains, withholds, detains. F. retenir. 
Retira, ind. pret. 3 sin. he drew again, shot again, retired. F. retirer. 
Retirant, ger. .drawing back, shooting again, recovering. F. retirer. 
Retire, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I shoot again, recover, retrieve, 
F. retirer. 

Retire-e, part, drawn back, shot again, recovered, retired. F. retirer. 
Retombe, ind. pres. 3 sin. falls back. F. retoniber. 
Retomberoit, ind. con. 3 sin, he would fall again. F. retoniber. 
Retour, s. ?n. arrival, return, access, recourse, revert. 
Retournant, ger. returning, regressing, going back. F. retourner. 
Retrace-e, part, drawn again, retracing. F. retracer. 
Retraite, s.f. retiring, going home, recession ; retreat. 
Retrouver, inf. va. to find again, letrieve, refind. 
Reuni-e, part, reunited, reannexed. F. reunir. 
Reunion, s.f. reunion, reconciliation, congregation. 
Reunir (se), inf. vr. to reconcile, reunite, reannex. 
Reunir, inf. va. to reunite, join again, reannex. 
Reunirent, pret. 3 pi. they reunited. F. reunir. 
Reunissant, ger. reuniting, reannexing. F. reunir. 
Reunissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they may reunite, join again. F. re- 
unir. 

Reunit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he reunites, conjoins. F. reunir. 
Reveil, s. m. awaking, alarm, alarm bell, watch-clock. 
Reveillant, ger. awaking, calling up. F. reveille r . 
Reveille, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I awake, he may wake. F. 
reveiller. 

Reveillent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they awake. F. reveiller. 



284 



ROC 



Reveiller, inf. va. to awake, wake, raise, revive, summon, rouse, 
Revele-e, part, revealed, discovered, disclosed. F. reveler. 
Reveler, inf. va. to reveal, discover, lay open, disclose, open. 
Revenir, inf. va. to come again, return, derive, obtain, reverse, revert, 

come back. 
Revenue, s.f. revenue. 

Revetu-e, part, clothed, dressed, conferred. F. revitir. 
Reveur-euse, a. thoughtful, pensive, melancholy, museful. 
Reviennent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. let them return, or they return. 
F. revenir. 

Revient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he returns, comes back. F. revenir. 
Revint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he returned, came back. F. revenir. 
Revoltant, ger. revolting, rebelling, mutinying. F. revolter. 
Revolution, s.f. revolution, vicissitude, cycle, orb. 
Revolutionnaire, a. revolutionary. 

Rhinoceros, s. m. rhinoceros, a wild animal with one horn. 

Riant-e, a. laughing, giggling, jesting, smiling. F, rire. 

Riche, a. rich, wealthy, opulent, substantial, plentiful. 

Richelieu, s. prop. m. Richelieu, a French cardinal. 

Richesse, s.f. richness, wealth, riches, opulency, means. 

Rider, inf. va. to wrinkle, shrivel, crumple, frown. 

Ridicule, a. substan. m. ridiculous, absurd, a ridiculous, absurd man. 

Rien, s. m. nothing, nought, non-existence. 

Rigorisme, s. m. rigidity, strictness. 

Rigoureux-se, s.f. rigorous, severe. 

Rigueur, s.f. seventy, rigour, inclemency, tyranny. 

Rit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he laughs, smiles, smirks. F. rire. 

Rivage, s. m. shore, waterside, seaside, bank, beach. 

Rival-e, pi. rivaux, a. rival, competitor, antagonist, opposer, contendent. 

Rival-e, s. in. rival, competitor, antagonist, opposer. 

Rivalite, s.f. rivality, rivalry, competition, jealousy. 

Rive, s.f. bank, shore, waterside. 

Riviere, s.f. a river, w r ater, a land current of water. 

Robespierre, s. prop. m. Robespierre, the French tyrant. 

Roc, s. m. a rock, a mass of stone. 

Roche, s.f a rock, a defence, protection (in scripture). 

Rocher, s. m. a rock, flint, rock work. 

Rocroi, s. prop. m. Rocroi, a small village in France. 



RUS 



285 



Roi, s. m. a king, monarch, supreme governor. 

Rollin, s. prop. m. Rollin, an eminent French historian. 

Romain-e, a. Roman, relating to Rome. 

Romain-e, s. m. a Roman, a native of Rome. 

Rome, s. prop.f. Rome, a large and beautiful city in Italy. 

Rompit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he broke, trained up. F. rompre. 

Rompre, inf. va. to break, pull, craze, divert, keep off, train up. 

Rompt, ind. pres. 3 sin. he pulls, crazes, diverts. F. rompre, 

Ronce, s.f. thorn, bramble. 

Ronsin, s. prop. m. Ronsin, a man's name. 

Rose, s. m. a rose. 

Rosee, s.f. dew, moisture. 

Rossignol, s. m. a nightingale, pick-lock, wedge. 

Roucoulement, s. m. chirping, cooing, crowing. 

Rougeatre, a. reddish, somewhat red, redlike. 

Rougi-e, part, reddened, made red, blushed. F. rougir. 

Rough, inf. va. or vn. to redden, make red, grow red, blush, colour, 

Rougissent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they redden. F. rougir. 

Rougit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he blushes, or colours. F. rougir. 

Roule, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I roll, he may roll. F. router. 

Roule-e, part, rolled, revolved, rambled, ranged. F. router. 

Roulement, s. ?n. rolling, trill, quaver, roller. 

Roulent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they roll, or range. F. router. 

Rouler, inf. va. to roll, revolve, alternate, ramble, range, roam. 

Rouloit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he rambled, rolled, ranged. F. rouler. 

Route, s.f. road, way, tread, career, course, means. 

Rouvris, ind. pret. 1 sin. I re-opened. F. rouvrir. 

Royal-e, a. royal, regal, palacious, kingly, generous, kindly. 

Royaliste, s. m. a royalist. 

Royaume, s. m. kingdom, realm, crown, monarchy, state. 
Royaute, s.f. royalty, kingship, regality, monarchy, dignity. 
Rue, s.f. street, a way, a paved way between two houses. 
Ruine, s.f ruin, fall, decay, destruction, loss, waste. 
Ruisselent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they gush, run out, trickle. F. rw- 
isseller. 

Ruse, s.f. art, cunning, artifice, deceit, expedient. 
Rustique, a. rural, belonging to the country, agrestical, rough, 



286 



SAL 



s. 

S' ; an abbreviatfon of se, or si. 
S&, poss. pron. his, hers, one's, its. 
Sable, s. m. sand, gravel, grit, sable. 
Sablonneux-se, a. sandy, gravelly. 
Sabre, s. m. sabre, scimitar, hanger, cutlass. 

Sache, bid. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I or he may know, understand. 

F. s avoir. 

Sachez, imp. 2 pi. know ye. F. savoir. 
Sacre-e, a. sacred, holy, august, sainted. 
Sacrifice, s. m. sacrifice, offering up, propitiation. 

Sacrifie, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I sacrifice, or he sacrifices. 
F. sacrifier. 

Sacrifie-e, part, sacrificed, offered up. F. sacrifier. 
Sagacite, s.f. sagacity. 

Sage, a. subslan. wise, discreet, rational, prudent, a sage, wise man. 
Sagement, ad. wisely, prudently, discreetly, judiciously. 
Sagesse, s.f. wisdoin, prudence, sageness, moderation. 
Saillant-e, a. jetting out, striking, beautiful. 
Sain-e, a. sound, wholesome, healthy, healthful, salubrious. 
Saint-e, a. holy, sacred, saint, godly, sainted. 

Saint-Just, s. prop. m. Saint-Just, a tyrant in the French revolution. 

Sais, ind. pres. 1 sin. I know. F. savoir. 

Saisi-e, ^?ar£. seized, caught, distrained, distressed. F. saisir. 

Saisir, inf. va. to seize, distress, distrain, attach, apprehend, catch. 

Saisirent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they seized, attached. F. saisir. 

Saisisse, subj. pret. 3 sin. he should seize. F. saisir. 

Saisit, ind pres. or pret. 3 sin. he seizes, distressed. F. saisir. 

Saison, s.f season, time, fit time, propar time. 

Sait, ind. pres. 3 sin. he knows, understands. F. savoir. 

Salle, s.f. parlour, hall, room, arbour, bower. 

Saluent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they salute, greet, bow. F. saluer. 

Saluer, inf. va. to salute, greet, hail, drink to one. 

Salut, s. m. salute, salutation, safety, welfare, life. 

Salutaire, a. salutary, wholesome, advantageous, useful. 



SE 



287 



Sang, s. m. blood, gore, race, extraction, parentage. 

Sanglant-e. a. bloody, covered with blood, streaming with blood. 

Sanglot, s. m. sob, sobbing, sigh, sighing. 

Sanglottant, ger. sobbing, sighing, groaning. F. sanglotter. 

Sanguinaire, a. sanguinary. 

Sans, prep, without, out of, exclusive. 

Sante, s.f health, sanity, soundness. 

Sapoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he sapped or undermined. F. saper. 
Sardes, s.prop.f. Sardis, a town in Lydia. 
Sarrasin, s. prop. in. a Saracen, or Arab. 
Satin, s. m. satin, fine silk stuff. 

Satisfaire, inf. va. or vn. to satisfy, content, please, humour. 
Satisfaisant-e, a. satisfactory, pleasing. 

Satisfait-e, part, satisfied, contented, pleased. F. satisfaire. 
Sauroient, ind. con. 3 pi. they should know. F. savoir. 
Sauroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he should know. F. savoir. 
Saut, s. in. leap, jump, skip, hop, spring, bound, fall. 
Sauter, inf. va. to leap, jump, bound, skip, spring, hop, fall. 
Sauvage, a. wild, savage, fierce, barbarous, uncultivated. 
Sauve-e, part, saved, delivered, kept, preserved. F. sauver. 
Sauver, inf. va. to save, deliver, keep, preserve, rescue, secure. 
Savane, s.f. field, meadow, prairie. 
Savant-e, a. learned, erudite, able, wise, skilful. 
Savant-e, s. in. a learned, erudite, able, skilful man. 
Savent, ind. pres. 2 pi. they know, have skill. F. savoir. 
Savez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you know. F. savoir. 
Saveur, s.f. savour, taste. 

Savoir, inf. va. to know, hear of, understand, have skill, be skilled. 
Savois, ind. impf I or 2 sin. I did know, thou didst know. F. savoir. 
Savoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did know, understood. F. savoir. 
Savons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we know, understand. F. savoir. 
Scelerat, s. in. a wicked person, a villain. 
Sceieratesse, s.f. wickedness. 
Scene, s.f. the stage, scene. 

Science, s.f. science, knowledge, learning, erudition. 
Scrupule, s. m. scruple, scrupulousness. 
Scythe, s. prop. in. Scythia. 

Se, pron. one's self, himself, herself, itself, themselves. 



288 



SEN 



Seance, s.f. session. 

Sec-eche, a. dry, withered, sapless, without moisture. 
Seche-e, part, dried, dried up, aired, drained. F. secher. 
Seconde, a. num. second, secondary. 

Seconde-e, ^>ar£. seconded, assisted, backed. F. seconder. • 
Seconderons, ind.fut. 1 pi. we shall second, back. F. seconder. 
Secourable, a. helpful, ready to help, that can be relieved. 
Secourir, inf. va. to succour, help, assist, relieve, rescue, sustain. 
Secours, s. in. succour, help, relief, assistance, comfort, defence. 
Secret, s. m. secret, mysteiy, privacy, concealedness. 
Secret-ete, a. secret, private, clandestine, concealing, deep. 
Securite, s.f. security, assurance, unconcernedness. 
Seditieux-se, a. substan. seditious, turbulent, mutinous, a rioter. 
Sedition, s.f. sedition, insurrection, combustion, mutiny. 
Seduire, inf-va. to seduce, mislead, deceive, debauch, corrupt. 
Seduisant-e, a. seducing, ensnaring, bewitching. 
Seigneur, s. m. lord, sir, noble, nobleman. 
Sein, s. m. bosom, breast, heart, womb. 

Seine, s.prop.f. Seine, a river that flows by Paris, in Fiance. 
Sejan, s. prop. m. Sejanus, a favourite of the emperor Tiberius. 
Sejour, s. m. residence, stay, abode, sojourn, remain. 
Selon, prep, according to, agreeably, conformably, suitably. 
Sembla, ind. pret. 3 sin. he seemed, appeared. F. sembler. 
Semblable, s. ?n. equal, like, match. 
Semblable, a. like, alike, agreeable. 

Semble, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I seem, he seems, he may 

look. F. sembler. 
Semblent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they seem, appear. F. sembler. 
Sembloient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they seemed. F. sembler. 
Sembloit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he seemed, appeared, looked. F. sembler. 
Seme, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I sow, he may sow. F. semer. 
Senat, s. m. the senate, an assembly of several persons of note. 
Sens, s. m. sense, mind, opinion, thought, sentiment. 
Sensation, s.f sensation, perception by means of the senses. 
Sensibilite, s.f. sensibility, feeling, commiseration. 
Sensible, a. sensible, tender, obvious, delicate, resentful. 
Sent, ind. pres. 3 sin. he feels, perceives. F. sentir. 
Sentant, ger. feeling, tasting, smelling, scenting. F sentir. 



SER 



289 



Sentence, s.f. sentence, apothegm, decree, doom, clause. 
Sentent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they feel. F. sentir. 
Senti-e, pa) t. felt, smelt, tasted, savoured. F. sentir. 
Sentier, s. m. path, foot-path, pathway, tread. 
Sentiment, s. m. sense, sensation, inclination, sentiment. 
Sentir, inf. va. to feel, taste, smell, scent, savour, be sensible of. 
Sentira, ind.fut. 3 sin. he will feel. F. sentir. 
Sentis, ind. pret. 1 or 2 sin. I felt, thou didst feel. F. sentir. 
Sentit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he smelt, felt, scented. F. sentir. 
Sentoit, ind. imp/, 3 sin. he felt, perceived. F. sentir. 
Separant, ger. separating, parting, dividing. F. separer. 
Separation, s.f. separation, sequestration, divorce. 
Separe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I separate, he may part. F. se- 
parer. 

Separe-e, part, separated, parted, divided. F. separer. 
Separent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they separate. F. separer. 
Separer, inf. va. or vn. to separate, part, divide, detach, sort. 
Separez, imp. 2 i>l. separate you. F. separer. 
Sept, a. num. seven. 

Septentrional-e, a. northern, northerly, north. 
Septieme, a. num. a seventh, a seventh part. 
Sepulcre, s.f. burying-place, vault, sepulchre. 
Sera, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall or will he. F. etre. 
Seras, ind.fut. 2 sin. thou shalt be. F. etre. 
Serenite, s.f. sereneness, serenity, clearness, evenness. 
Serez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall or will be. F. etre. 
Sergent, s. m. sergeant. 

Seriez, ind. con. 2 pi. you should or would be. F. etre. 

Seroit, con. it would be. F. etre. 

Seront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will be. F. itre. 

Serpent, 5. m. the serpent, snake. 

Serpolet, s. m. serpillum, wild thyme. 

Serre, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I squeeze, he may strain. F. ser- 
rer. 

S erre-e, part, squeezed, wrung, strained, pressed. F. serrer. 
Sert, ind. pres. 3 sin. he serves, waits, attends. F. servir. 
Servant, ger. serving, waiting, attending, availing, F. servir. 
Servante, s.f a maid, servant maid, hand maid, servant. 

25 



290 



SIN 



Serve (quHl), imp. 3 sin. let him serve, wait. F. servir. 
Servent (qu'ils), imp. 3 pi. let them serve, wait. F. servir. 
Servent, ind. or subj. pres. Bpl. they may wait, attend, serve. F. ser- 
vir. 

Servez ; ind. pres. 2 pi. you serve, attend, wait. F. servir. 

Servi-e, part, served, attended, waited, availed. F. servir. 

Service, s. m. service, waiting, attendance, use, office. 

Servir, inf. va. to serve, wait, attend, avail, minister, be a servant, 

Serviront, ind.fut. 3 pi. they will serve. F. servir. 

Ses, pron. pos. pi. his, their, its, hers. 

Session, s.f. session. 

Seul-e, a. alone, lonely, self, only, simple, sole. 

Seulement, ad. only, solely, but, purely, barely, singly, merely. 

Seve, s.f. sap, juice, moisture. 

Severe, a. severe, rigid, strict, rigorous, stern, rude, austere. 
Severite, s.f. severity, rigour, strictness, rudeness. 
Sexe, s. m. sex. 

Si, conj. if, besides, moreover, yet, so, as, whether, and so. 
Sicile, s.prop.f. Sicily, an island in the Mediterranean. 
Siecle, s. m. century, age. 

Siege, s. m. a seat, chair, tribunal, court, jurisdiction. 

Siegeoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he sat, held the papacy. F. sieger, 

Sien, poss. pron. m. his, her, its, one's own. 

Sienne, poss. pron.f. his, hers, its, one's own. 

Sifflent, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 pi. they whistle, hiss. F. siffler. 

Signal-aux, s. m. signal, ensign, waft. 

Signale-e, part, signalized, made eminent, pointed out. F. signaler. 
Signaler, inf. va. to signalize, make eminent, make remarkable. 
Signe, s. m. sign, token, badge, indication, mark, symbol. 
Signe-e, part, signed, subscribed, underwritten. F. signer. 
Silence, s. m. silence, stillness ; quietness, peace. 
Sillon, s. m. furrow, ridge, notch. 

Simple, a. simple, uncompounded, single, plain, unadorned. 
Simplicite, s.f. simplicity, artlessness, plainness, pureness. 
Sincere, a. sincere. 
Singularity, s.f. singularity. 

Singulier-ere, a. singular, alone, peculiar, special, rare. 
Sinistre, a. sinister, sinistrous, unlucky, inauspicious. 



SON 



291 



Sitot, ad. as soon as. 

Situation, s.f seat, situation, location, state, condition. 

Situe-e, part situated, seated, located. F. situer. > 

Six, a. num. six, half a dozen. 

Social-e, a. social, companionable, friendly. 

Societe, s.f. society, intercourse, community, converse. 

Sceur, 5./. sister. 

Soi, pers. pron. one, one's self, himself, herself, themselves. 
Soient, subj. pres. 3 pi. they may be. F. tire. 
Soif, s.f. thirst, dryness, drought, thirstiness. 
Soigneux-se, a. careful, vigilant, attentive, observant, exact. 
Soi-meme, per. pron. one's self, itself, himself. 
Soin, s. m. care, diligence, accuracy, charge, heed. 
Soir, s. m. evening, night, eve, even. 
Soit, subj. pres. 3 sin. he, she, or it may be. F. itre. 
Soit, conj. either, whether, or. 
Soixante, a. num. sixty, three score. 
Soldat, s. m. a soldier, a foot soldier, a fighter. 
Soleil, 5. m. the sun, sunflower, turnsol. 
Solemnel-le, a. solemn, awful, famous, in due form. 
Solide, a. solid, firm, strong, durable, substantial, lasting. 
Solidite, s.f. solidity, destiny, certainty, stability. 
Solitaire, a. substan. solitary, lonely, retired, desert, a hermit. 
Solitude, s.f. solitude, lonely life, lonely place, desert. 
Sollicite, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I solicit, request. F. solid 
ter. 

Sollicitoit, ind. itnpf. 3 sin. he solicited, requested. F. solliciter. 

Solon, s.prop. m. Solon, one of the seven wise men of Greece. 

Solution, 5./. solution^ explanation. 

Sombre, a. dark, dull, gloomy, dim, hazy, dusky. 

Sommeil, s. m. sleep, sleeping, rest, repose, slumber. 

Sommeilloit, ind. itnpf. 3 sin. he slept, slumbered. F. sommeiller, 

Sommes, ind. pres. 1 pi. we are. F. etre. 

Sommet, s. m. top, height, summit, ridge. 

Somptueux-se, a. sumptuous, splendid, costly. 

Somptuosite, s.f. sumptuousness, splendour, costliness. 

Son, s. m. bran, scale, sound, noise, voice. 

Son, poss. pron. his, hers, one's, 



292 



SOU 



Sonde-e, part, sounded, tried, plumbed, fathomed. F. sonder. 
Songe, s. m. a dream. 

Songer, inf. va.to dream, muse, think, consider, mind, study. 

Sonnant-e, ger. sounding, resounding. F. sonner. 

Sont, ind. pres. 3 pi. they are. F. etre. 

Sophisme, s. m. sophism, fallacy, cavil, chicanery. 

Sort, ind. pres. 3 sin. he goes out, steps out. F, sortir. 

Sort, s. m. fate, destiny, chance, fortune, hazard. 

Sorte, s.f. sort, kind, species, gender, nature. 

Sortez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 pi. ye come out. F. sortir. 

Soiii-e, part, gone out, come out, got out. F. sortir, 

Sortions, ind. imp. 1 pi. we came out. F. sortir. 

Sortir, inf. va. or vn. to go, get, step or come out, bring out or off. 

Sortira, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall go out, get out. F. sortir. 

Sortit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he went out, got out. F. sortir. 

Sortoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they went out. F. sortir. 

Soudain-e, a. sudden, unexpected, extemporary. 

Souffle, s. m. blowing, breath, puff. 

Souffrant, ger. suffering, bearing, enduring, sustaining. F. souffrir. 
Souffroit, imp. 3 pi. he suffered. F. souffrir. 

Souhaite, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I desire, he may wish. F. 

souhaiter. 

Souille-e, part, soiled, dirtied, sullied, stained. F. souiller. 
Souillerai, ind.fut. 1 sin. I will sully. F. souiller. 
Soulager, inf. va. to ease, lighten, comfort, alleviate, abate, sweeten. 
Souleve, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I lift, or he lifts up. F. soule- 
ver. 

Sournet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he submits, or subdues. F. soumettre. 
Soumis-e, part, submitted, submissive, subject, humble, tame, pliant. 

F. soumettre. 
Soup^on, .s. m. suspicion, distrust, fear, apprehension. 
Soupconne-e, part, suspected, feared, mistrusted. F. soupgonner. 
Soupconner, inf. va. to suspect, fear, mistrust, doubt, conjecture. 
Soupconneux-euse, a. suspicious, distrustful, jealous. 
Soupir, s. m. sigh, breathing, groan. 
Soupirant, ger. sighing, fetching sighs. F. soupirer. 
Soupiroit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he sighed. F. soupirer. 
Souple, a. supple, pliant, flexible, complaisant, ductile. 



STY 



293 



Source, s.f. source, spring, fountain, root, cause. 
Sourd-e, a. substan. deaf, dull, dark, obtuse, dead, deep. 
Souriant, ger. smiling, simpering. F. sourire. 
Sourire, inf. vn. to smile, simper. 

Sourit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he smiles, impresses. F. sourire. 
Sous, prep, under, beneath, nigh, underneath. 

Soutenant, ger. bearing up, holding, supporting, keeping up. F. sou- 
tenir. 

Soutenir, inf. va. to bear up, hold, keep up, support, sustain. 
Soutenu-e, part, borne, upheld, kept up, supported, F. soutenir. 
Souterrain-e, a. substan. subterraneous, under ground, a vault. 
Soutiennent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they support, he may bear. F. 
• soutenir. 

Soutient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he supports, sustains, bears. F. soutenir. 
Soutint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he supported, sustained. F. soutenir. 
Souvenez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you remember. F. souvenir. 
Souvenir, s. m. remmembrance, recollection, memory, mind. 
Souvenir (se), inf. vr. to remember, call to mind, recollect, imagine. 
Souvenoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he remembered. F. souvenir. 
Souvent, ad. often, oftentimes, frequently, many times. 
Souverain-ne, a. sovereign, supreme, excellent, absolute. 
Souverain-ne, s. m. sovereign, prince, chief, dictator, potentate. 
Souverainete, s.f. sovereignty, supreme power, dominion, state. 
Souviens (me), ind. pres. 1 sin. I remember. F. souvenir. 
Souviens (toi), imp. 2 sin. remember thou. F. souvenir. 
Soyez, subj. or imp. pres. 2 pi. you may be, or be ye. F. ttre. 
Spartacus, s. prop. m. Spartacus, a king of Pontus ; also a gladiator 
Spectacle, s. m. spectacle, show, sight, play, pageant. 
Spectateur, s. m. spectator, beholder, looker on, gazer. 
Spectre, s. m. spectre, apparition, ghost, spirit. 
Sphere, s.f. sphere, globe, circle, orb, round. 
Splendeur, s. f. splendour, brightness, lustre, glory, bravery. 
Statue, s.f. figure, imagery, statue. 
Sterile, a. steril, barren, fruitless, unprolific, infertile. 
Strabon, s. prop. m. Strabo, a celebrated ancient geographer. 
Stupide, a. substan. stupid, dull, sottish, thick-skulled, heavy. 
Stupidite, s.f. stupidity, dullness, heaviness of mind. 
Style, 8. m. style, manner of writing, strain, language. 
25* 



294 



SUJ 



Su-e, part, known, understood, heard of. F. savoir. 

Subit-e, a. sudden, extempore, unexpected. 

Subitement, ad. suddenly, unawares, unexpectedly. 

Subjugue, ind. or subj.pres. 1 or 3 sin. I subjugate, subdue. F. sub- 

juguer. 

Sublime, a, substan. sublime, high, costly, exalted, sublime. 
Subordonne-e, part, subjugad.te F. subordonner. 
Subsistence, s.f subsistence, competence, livelihood, bread. 
Subsistoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they subsisted, lived. F. subsister. 
Substance, s.f a substance, a being, sustenance, means of life. 
Succede, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I succeed, prosper. F. succe- 
der. 

Succeder, inf. vn. to succeed, inherit, prosper, follow in order. 
Succederont, they will succeed. F. succeder. 
Succes, s. m. success, issue, event, end, speed, prosperity. 
Successif-ve, a. successive, consecutive. 
Succession, s.f succession, inheritance, heritage, series. 
Successivement, ad. successive^, gradually, one after another. 
Succombe, ind. pres. 3 sm. he sinks, or succombs. F. succom- 
ber. 

Succomber, inf. vn. to fail, succumb, sink, yield, shrink, fall down. 
Succomboient, ind. impf 3 pi. they failed, sank, shrunk. F. succom- 
ber. 

Suffira, ind. fat. 3 sin. it will suffice. F. suffire. 

Suffisent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they suffice, afford, satisfy. F. suffire. 

Suffisoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he sufficed. F. suffire. 

Suffit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he suffices, affords, satisfies. F. suffire. 

Suis, ind. pres. 1 sin. I am. F. etre. 

Suit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he follows, traces, observes. F. suivre. 

Suite, s.f retinue, train, consequence. 

Suivant, ger. following, tracing, observing. F. suivre. 

Suivent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they follow. F. suivre. 

Suivi-e, part, followed, traced, observed. F. suivre. 

Suivit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he followed, traced. F. suivre. 

Suivoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he followed. F. suivre. 

Suivons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we follow. F. suivre. 

Suivre, inf. va. to follow, go or come after, observe, trace, attend. 

Sujet, s. 77i. a subject, vassal, subject matter, theme, person. 



SYS 



295 



Sujet-te, a. subject, liege, tributary, obliged, bound, apt, addicted. 
Superbe, a. proud, arrogant, haughty, stately, sumptuous. 
Superficiel-le, a. superficial. 

Superieur-e, a. superior, higher, upper, paramount. 
Superiorite, s.f. superiority, preeminence, supremacy. 
Supplee, ind. pres. 3 sin. he supplies. F. supplier. 
Suppleer, inf. va. to supply, fill up, recruit, furnish, suffice. 
Supplice, 5. in. corporal punishment, public execution. 
Suppose, ind. pres. 3 sin. he supposes. F. supposer. 
Supposer, inf. va. to suppose, grant, take it for granted. 
Supreme, a. supreme, sovereign, highest, chief, most excellent. 
Sur, prep, upon, on, over, by, near, against, about, above. 
Surcroit, s. m. increase, augmentation. 
Sur-e, a. sure, certain, infallible, unquestionable, confident. 
Surement, ad. surely, certainly. 
Surface, s.f. surface, superficies, outside, top. 

Surmonte, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. 1 surmouut, exceed. F. 
sur mo nter. 

Surmonte-e, part, surmounted, exceeded, surpassed. F. surmonter. 
Surnaturel-le, a. supernatural, preternatural, above nature. 
Surpassa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he surpassed. F. surpasser. 
Surprend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he surprises, deceives. F. surprendre. 
Surprendre, inf. va. to surprise, overtake, deceive unawares. 
Surpris-e, part, surprised, aghast, astonished. F. surprendre. 
Surprise, s.f. surprise, amazement, consternation. 
Surtout, ad. over all, above all, especially, chiefly, mainly. 
Survecu-e, part, survived, outlived, overlived. F. survivre. 
Survivre, inf. vn. to survive, outlive, overlive. 
Suscita, ind. pret. 3 sin. he raised, created, excited. F. susciter. 
Suspend, ind. pres. 3 sin. he hangs, suspends. F. suspendre. 
Suspendent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they suspend. F. suspendre. 
Suspendit, ind. pret. 3 sin, he suspended, hung. F. suspendre. 
Suspendu-e, part, hung up, suspended, pendulous, pendent. 
Sut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he knew, understood. F. savoir. 
Syllabe, s.f. syllable. 

Symptome, s. m. symptom, indication, accident, sign. 
Systeme, s. m. system. 



296 



TEL 



T. 

T>, an abbreviation of te. 
Ta, poss. pron. thy. 

Table, s.f. table, board, tablet, tablature. 
Tableau-x, s. m. picture, description, representation. 
Tache, s.f. spot, stain. 

Tache, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I attempt, he may endeavour. 
F. tdcher. 

Tachent, ind, or subj. pres. 3 pi. they attempt, they may attempt. F. 
tdcher. 

Tacite, s. prop. in. Tacitus, the Latin historian. 
Tact, s. m. feeling, touch, peculiar talent, tact. 
Taille, s.f. the edge (of a sword), cutting, stature, shape, waist. 
Taille-e, part, cut, carved, entailed, slashed, detruncated. F. tail- 
ler. 

Tait, ind. pres. 3 sin, he conceals, suppresses, is silent. F. taire. 

Talent, s. m. talent, faculty, power, capacity, genius. 

Tandis {que), conj. whilst, during, while. 

Tant, ad. so much, so many, both, so, to that degree. 

Tantot, ad. a little while ago, not long ago, sometimes. 

Tard, ad. late. 

Tardif-ve, a. tardy, dilatory, slow, lingering, tedious. 
Tarir, inf. va. orvn. to drain, dry up, exhaust, be dried up. 
Tarquin, s. prop. in. Tarquin, the fifth king of Rome. 
Tas, s. m. heap, crew, pile, exaggeration, parcel. 
Taureau-x, s. m. a bull, Taurus (a sign in the zodiac). 
Taxant, ger. rating, assessing, taxing, accusing. F. taxer. 
Te, per. pron. thee. 
Technique, ad. technical. 

Teint, s, m. dye, colour, complexion, teint, tint, touch. 
Teint-e, part, dyed, tinged, coloured, tinctured. F. teindre. 
Tel-le, a. such, like, such that, such as, many a one. 
Telescope, s. m. a telescope, a prospective glass. 

Tell, s. prop. m.(Guillaume), William Tell, the liberator of Switzerland, 
Tellement, ad. so, in such a manner, insomuch. 



TER 



Tellus, s.prop.f. Tellus, a Pagan divinity. 
Temeraire, a. rash, inconsiderate. 
Temerite, s.f. temerity. 

Temoignage, s. m. testimony, evidence, proof, mark, credit. 
Temoigne, ind. pres. 3 sin. he testifies. F. temoigner. 
Temoin, s. m. witness, evidence, deponent. 
Temperament, s. m. constitution, condition, temperament. 
Temperant-e, tempered, moderated, qualified. F. temperer. 

Tempere-e, a. moderate, staid, temperate, sober* 
Tempete, s.f. a tempest, storm. 
Temple, s. m. a temple, church, meeting-house. 
Temps, s. m. time, while, age, days, tide. 
Tenacite, s.f. tenacity, viscosity, lentor, toughness. 
Tenant, ger. holding, containing, occupying, grasping. F. tenir. 
Tendant, ger. bending, pitching, lying, reaching, F. tendre. 
Tendoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he did bend, pitch, lie. F. tendre. 
Tendre, a. soft, weak, tender, sensible, mild, remorseful, passionate. 
Tendresse, s.f tenderness, love, affection, humanity, dearness. 
Tenebres, s.f. pi. error, blindness, ignorance, darkness. 
Tenebreux-se, a. obscure, dark, gloomy, pitchy. 
Tenez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you hold, contain, keep. F. tenir. 
Tenir, inf. va. to hold, contain, keep, hold in, hold up, keep in 
up. 

Tenoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they held, contained, kept. F. tenir, 
Tenois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I held, thou didst keep. F. tenir. 
Tenoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he held, contained, kept. F, tenir. 
Tente, s.f tent, pavilion, tabernacle. 

Tenter, inf. va. to tempt, offer, try, proffer, enterprise, attempt 
Tenteroit, ind. con. 3 sin. he would attempt. F. tenter. 
Terme, s. m. term, bound, end, limit, conclusion, word. 
Teimine-e, part, terminated, bounded, limited. F. terminer. 
Terminer, inf. va. or vn. to terminate, bound, limit, end, shut i 
issue. 

Terminerent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they terminated, ended. F. terminer. 

Terne, a. tarnished, dull, obscure, defaced. 

Terni-e, part, tarnished, sullied, stained, dulled. F. ternir. 

Terre, s.f. earth, land, ground, mould, glebe. 

Terreur, s.f. terror, fear, fright, trepidation, consternation. 



298 



TON 



Terrible, a. terrible, dreadful, formidable, cruel, strange. 
Tes, per. pron. pi. thy. 
Tete, s. f. head, pate, noddle, poll. 
Theatre, s. m. stage, theatre, scene, play-house. 
Theodose, s. prop. m. Theodosius, a Roman emperor. 
Theramene, s.prop. m. Theramenes, a man's name. 
Thermidor (le 9), s. the name of a month in the new French calen- 
dar, the 9th day of which corresponded to the 27th of July. 
Thomas, s. prop. m. Thomas, a man's name. 
Thym, s. m. thyme, an odoriferous plant. 
Tibere, s. prop. m. Tiberius, a Roman emperor, after Augustus. 
Tiendra, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall hold, contain. F. tenir. 
Tiendrez, ind.fut. 3 pi. you shall hold, contain. F. tenir. 
Tiennent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they hold, contain. F. tenir. 
Tient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he holds, contains, keeps. F. tenir. 
Tiers, s. m. third. 

Tigre, s. m. tiger, a ferocious animal of the cat kind. 
Timide, a. timid, bashful, timorous, fearful, faint, cowardly. 
Timidite, s.f. timidity, cowardice. 

Tint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he held, contained, kept. F. tenir. 
Tira, ind. pret. 3 sin. he drew, pulled, shot, discharged, F. tirer. 
Tire, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I draw, shoot ; he pulls, resumes. 
F. tirer. 

Tissu, s. m. tissue, contexture, series. 

Titan, s. prop. m. Titan, a fabulous giant. 

Titre, s. m. title, quality, style, title-page, record, voucher. 

Toi, per. pron. thou, thee, thyself. 

Toi-meme, per. pron. thyself. 

Tomba, ind. pret. 3 sin. he fell, tumbled, failed, dropped. F. torn- 
her. 

Tombe, s.f. tomb, sepulchre. 

Tombe, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I fall, he may tumble. F. torn- 
her. 

Tombeau-x, s. m. tomb, monument, gravestone, sepulchre. 
Tombent, ind. subj. pres. 3 pi. they fall, tumble, fail. F. tomber. 
Tomber, inf. vn. to fall, tumble, fail, drop, light, sink, decay, lower. 
Tomberoient, ind. con. 3 pi. they would fall. F. tomber. 
Ton, poss. pron. thy. 



TRA 



299 



Ton, s. m. tone, tune, voice, sound, accent, strain. 
Torche, s.f torch or taper. 
Torrent, s. m. torrent, land flood, tide, swift. 
Tortueux-se, a. tortuous, winding. 

Touchai, ind. pret. 1 sin. I touched, received. F. toucher. 
Touchant-e, a. moving, affecting, touching, assuasive. 
Touche, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I touch, receive ; he receives, 
F. toucher. 

Touche-e, part, touched, received, struck. F. toucher. 
Toucher, inf. va. to touch, handle, he contiguous, feel, finger, re- 
ceive. 

Toucher, s. m. touch, feeling. 

Touchoit, ind. imp/. 3 sin. he touched, affected. F. toucher. 
Touffu-e, a. tufted, thick, bushy, branchy. 

Toujours, a. always, ever, continually, perpetually, everlastingly. 
Tour, s. f. a tour, spire, steeple, tower, rock, lighthouse. 
Tour, s. m. turn, turning, winding, revolution, trick, compass. 
Tour-a-tour, ad. by turns, alternately, one after the other. 
Tourbillon, s. m. whirlwind, whirl, tornado, vortex. 
Tourment, 5. m. torment, torture, misery, pain, trouble, cross. 
Tourmenter, inf. va. to torment, torture, excruciate, bang, cudgel. 
Tournai, ind. pret. 1 sin. I turned, inverted, distorted. F. tourner. 
Tournant-e, ger. turning, inverting, destroying. F. tourner. 
Tourne, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I turned, he inverted. F. 
tourner. 

Touine-e, part, turned, inverted, distorted, wound up. F. tourner. 

Tournerent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they turned. F. tourner. 

Tournoi, s. m. tournament, tourney, tilt, mock fight. 

Tournoyant, ger. going, whirling, wheeling about. F. tournoyer. 

Tourterelle, s.f. a turtle, turtle-dove. 

Tout-e, a. all, every one. 

Tout, ad. wholly, entirely, quite, thoroughly, all, altogether, pure. 

Tout-e, coll, pron. all, whole, whatever, long, any, every, any thing. 

Tout, s. m. the whole, all, main, outside, every thing, all things. 

Tout-a-coup, ad. all of a sudden, suddenly. 

Tout-puissant, a. All-powerful, Omnipotent, God. 

Trace, s.f. a footstep, track, of the foot, vestige, footing, step. 



300 



TRA 



Trace -e, part, drawn, sketched, described, written, modelled. F. tra- 
cer. 

Tracer, inf. va. to draw, sketch, describe, plan, model, inscribe, etch. 

Traducteur, s. m. translator, interpreter. 

Tragedie, s.f. tragedy, sad occurrence, cruel accident. 

Trahi-e, part, betrayed, been false to, betrayed. F. trakir. 

Trahison, s.f. treason. 

Trahit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he betrays, belies. F. trahir. 
Trainant-e ; a. training, dragging, trailing, hauling. 
Traine, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I train, he draws, trails. F. 
trainer. 

Traine -e,part. drawn, dragged, trailed, hauled ; put off. F. trainer. 
Trainer (se), inf. vr. to crawl, creep along, go dimpling. 
Traire, inf. va. to milk. 
Trait, s. m. feature, arrow. 

Traite, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I treat, he may negociate. F. 

traiter. 

Traitement, s. m. treatment, usage, quarter. 
Traitoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he treated. F. traiter. 
Traitre-esse, s. m. traitor ; false, perfidious man or woman. 
Tranchant-e, a. sharp, cutting, peremptory. 
Tranquille, a. quiet, calm, still, undisturbed, peaceable. 
Tranquillement, ad. quietly, peaceably, calmly, composedly, softly. 
Tranquillite, s.f. quiet, peace, tranquillity, calmness, sedateness. 
Transformer, inf. va. to transform, change, transfigure, turn into. 
Transition, s.f. transition. 

Transmet, ind. pres. 3 sin. he transmits. F. transmettre . 
Transport, s. in. transportation, exportation, rapture, ecstacy. 
Transportant, ger. transporting, exporting, carrying. F. transporter. 
Transporte-e, part, transported, exported, carried. F. transporter. 
Transported, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they transport. F. transpor- 
ter. 

Transporter, inf. va. to transport. 
Travail- aux, s. m. work, toil, labour, occupation, pain. 
Travaille-e, jpar/. laboured. F. travailler, 
Travaille, ind. pres. 3 sin, he works. F. travailler. 
Travaillent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they work. F. travailler. 
Travers, s. m. breadth, irregularity. 



TRO 



301 



Traversa, ind. pret. 3 sin. he crossed, passed over. P. traverser. 
Traverse -e, part, crossed, traversed, passed over. F. traverser, 
Traversent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they traverse,, cross. F. traver- 
ser. 

Traverser, inf. va. to traverse, cross, pass over, voyage, get over. 

Treize, a. num. thirteen. 

Treizieme, a. thirteenth, the thirteenth. 

Tremblant, ger. trembling, shaking, quaking, fearing. F. trembler, 
Tremblant-e, a. trembling, shaking, quaking, fearing, 
Tremblent (qu'ils), imp. 3 pi. let them tremble. F. trembler. • 
Trempe-e, part, dipped, soaked, steeped, drenched. F. tremper. 
Tremper, inf. vet. to dip, soak, steep, drench, sop, water. 
Trente, a. thirty. 

Trepas, s. m. decease, demise, death, departure. 

Tresor, s. m. treasure, hoard, a place where records are kept. 

Trezene, s. prop. m. Trezene, a name of a city. 

Tribunal-aux, s. m. tribunal, jurisdiction, a court of justice. 

Tribune, s.f. rostrum, gallery, lobby, tribune. 

Tribut, s. in. tribute, tax, duty, custom. 

Tributaire, a. substan. tributary, one who pays tribute to a prince. 
Triomphant-e, a. triumphant, victorious, glorious, famous. 
Triomphe, s. m. or f. a triumph, palm, exultation, trump card. 
Triomphe, ind. pres. 3 sin. he triumphs. F. triumpher. 
Triste, a. sorrowful; sad, heavy, afflicted, tedious, melancholy. 
Tristement, ad. sadly, sorrowfully, heavily, wofully, gloomily. 
Triumvir, s. in. triumvir. 
Triumvirat, s. m. triumvirate. 
Trois, a. num. three. 
Troisieme, a. third. 

Trompe-e, part, deceived, deluded, beguiled, seduced. F, tromper. 

Trompes, ind. pres. 2 sin. thou deceivest. F. tromper. 

Trornpeur-se, a. deceitful, fallacious. 

Tronc, s. m. trunk, stem, stump, trunk of the body. 

Tione, s. m. throne. 

Trop, ad. too, too much, too many, overmuch, exceedingly, not very. 
Trophee, s. in. trophy, pageant, ensign. 
Trouble, s. in. trouble, disorder, disturbance, combustion, 
26 



802 



UNI 



Trouble-e, part, troubled, disturbed, ruffled, confounded. F. troub- 
le?-. 

Troubler, inf. va. to trouble, make muddy, disturb, disorder, ruffle. 
Troupe, s.f. troop, band, company, crew, gang, troops, soldiers. 
Troupeau-x, s. m. a flock, fold, a troop of one kiftd of animals. 
Trouva, ind. pret, 3 sin. he found, met, discovered. F. trouver. 
Trouvai, ind, pret. 1 sin. I found, met, discovered. F. trouver. 
Trouvant, ger. finding, meeting, discovering. F. trouver. 
Trouve, ind, or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I find, he may meet. F. trou- 
ver. 

Trouve-e, part, found, met, discovered, contrived. F. trouver. 
Trouvent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they find, meet, contrive. F. trou- 
ver. 

Trouver, inf. va. to find, meet, discover, contrive, invent, trace. 
Trouver (se), inf. vr. to meet, be found, be present, prove, run. 
Trouverez, ind. fut. 2 pi. you will find. F. trouver. 
Trouvoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they found. F. trouver. 
Trouvois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I found, thou mettest. F. trouver. 
Trouvons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we find, meet, contrive. F. trouver. 
Tu, per. pron. thou. 

Tue, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I kill, he may murder. F. tuer. 

Tue-e, part, killed, slain, murdered, massacred. F. tuer. 

Tuer, inf. va. to kill, slay, murder, massacre, butcher, carry off. 

Tuez, ind. or imp. pres. 2 sin. you kill, murder, slay. F. tuer. 

Tulipier, s. m. a tulip- tree. 

Tumultueux-se, a. tumultuous. 

Turc, s. m. a Turk, one born in Turkey. 

Tut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he concealed, suppressed, silenced. F. taire. 

Tyran, s. m. tyrant, usurper, oppressor. 

Tyrannie, s.f. tyranny, cruelty, oppression, violence. 

u. 

Ulcere, s. m. ulcer, a running sore. 

Un-e, a. indef. art. a. num. or s. m. a, an, one, any, some. 

Uni-e, part, united, combined, pieced, mingled, complicated. F. 

unir. 



VAI 



303 



Uniforme, a. uniform. 
Uniformement, ad. uniformly. 

Union, s.f. union, conjunction, junction, combination. 

Unique, a. only, sole, singular, single, unique. 

Uniquement, ad. only, solely, purely, singularly, entirely. 

Unir, inf. va. to unite, join together, combine, mingle, complicate. 

Unissent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they unite, may mingle. F. unir. 

Unit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he unites, mingles, pieces. F. unir. 

Unite, s.f. unity. 

Univers, s. m. the universe, the world, the earth, nature. 
Universel-le, a. universal, general, total. 

Usage, s. m. usage, custom, use, fashion, practice, experience. 

XJse-e,part. used, wasted, consumed, ground off. F. user. 

User, inf. va. or vn. to use, make use of, waste, consume, grind off. 

Usez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you use, waste, consume. F. user. 

Usurpateur, 5. m. usurper, intruder, invader. 

Usurpation, s.f. usurpation, intrusion, invasion. 

Usurper, inf. va. to usurp, arrogate, engross, invade, intrude. 

Utile, a. substan. m. useful, advantageous, beneficial. 

v. 

Va, imp. 2 sin. go, go thou. F. aller. 

Va, ind. pres. 3 sin. he goes. F. aller. 

Vacillant-e, a. reeling, staggering, tottering, waggling. 

Vacille, ind. pres. 3 sin. he vacillates, wavers. F. vaciller. 

Vague, s.f. wave, billow, surge, swell. 

Vague, a. substan. vague, airy, rambling, loose ; a wild, loose man. 
Vaillant, s. m. all a man is worth, one's substance. 
Vaillant-e, a. valiant, brave, courageous, manly, stout. 
Vain-e, a. vain, fruitless, ineffectual, empty, foolish, chimerical. 
Vaincra, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall conquer, subdue. F. vainer e. 
Vaincre, inf. va. to vanquish, conquer, overcome, subdue, overbear. 
Vaincu-e, part, vanquished, conquered, subdued. F. vaincre. 
Vainement, ad. vainly, in vain, to no purpose, ineffectually, idly. 
Vais, ind. pres. 1 sin. I go, walk. F. aller. 
faisseau-x, s. m. a vessel (for liquids), vessel, ship, sail. 



304 



YEN 



Valent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they are worth, valuable. F. valoir. 

Valeur, s.f. value, worth, valour, courage. 

Valeureux-se, a. valiant, brave, courageous, stout. 

Vallee, s.f. the side of a hill, valley, vale, dell, bottom. 

Vallon, s. m. a dale, a little valley, dingle. 

Valut, subj. pret. 3 sin. he might be worth. F. valoir. 

Vandalisme, s. m. Vandalism, peculiarities, customs, &c. pertaining to 

the Vandals. 
Vanite, s.f. vanity. 

Vante-e, ^?o;r£. commended, cried up, extolled. F. vanter. 

Vapeur, s.f. vapour, fume, steam, depression. 

Varie-e, part, varied, changed, diversed, fickle. F. varier. 

Variete, s.f variety, diversity, change, choice. 

Vas, ind. pres. I or 2 sin. thou goest, walkest. F. aller. 

Vase, s. m. or f. a vessel, vase, urn, slime, mire, dirt, mud. 

Vaste, a. vast, large, great, spacious, extensive, prodigious. 

Vautour, s. m. a vulture, a bird of prey. 

Vecu-e, part, lived. F. vivre. 

Vegetal-aux, s. m. vegetable. 

Vehement-e, a. vehement, hot, eager, fierce, passionate. 
Veille, s.f. watching, sitting up, wake> watch, labour, study. 
Veille, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I watch, he may wake. F. miller. 
Veloute-e, a. tufted, velvet. 

Vendent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they sell, vend, betray. F. vendre. 
Venerable, a. to be reverenced, revered, adored. 
Veneration, s.f. veneration, reverent regard, reverence. 
Vengeance, s.f. revenge, vengeance. 

Venge, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I revenge, he may avenge, F. 

venger. 

Venge-e, part, revenged, avenged, vindicated. F. venger. 
Vengent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they avenge. F. venger. 
Venger, inf. va. to revenge, avenge, vindicate, take a revenge for. 
Venin, s. m. venom, poison, spite, grudge, malice, hatred. 
Venir, inf. vn. to come, be coming, come along, arrive, come in. 
Venoient, ind. impf. 3 pi. they came, arrived. F. venir. 
Venois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I came, thou earnest. F. venir. 
Venoit, ind. impf 3 sin. he came, arrived, came along. F. venir. 
Vent, s. ?n. wind, gale, vent, scent, emptiness, vanity. 



VIE 



305 



Venu-e, part, come, come along, arrived, come in. F. venir. 

Verd, a. green, brisk, fresh, lusty, strong. 

Verdure, s.f. verdure, green grass. 

Veritable, a. title, genuine, pure, real, right, staunch. 

Veritablement, ad. truly, verily, really, even. 

Verite, s.f. truth, verity, reality, lightness, troth. 

Vermeil-le, a. vermillion, red. 

Verrai, ind.fut. 1 sin. I will see, observe, behold. F. voir. 
Verras, ind.fut. 2 sin. thou seest, observes!, beholdest. F. voir. 
Verre, s. m. glass, tumbler. 

Verrez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall see, observe, behold. F. voir. 

Verrons, ind.fut. 1 pi. we shall see, observe, behold. F. voir. 

Vers, prep, toward, towards, against, to, about, upon. 

Verser, inf. va. to pour, fill, decant, fill out, affuse, teem, spout. 

Verses, ind. pres. 2 sin. thou sheddest. F. verser. 

Vert-e, a. green, brisk, fresh, lusty, strong. 

Vertu, s.f. virtue, probity, righteousness, honesty, chastity. 

Vertueux-se, a. virtuous, upright, worthy, chaste, just, righteous, 

Veulent, ind. pres. 3 pi. they are willing, will. F. vouloir. 

Veut, ind. pres. 3 sin. he will, is willing, intends. F. vouloir. 

Veux, ind. pres. 1 sin. I will, am willing, intend. F. vouloir. 

Vice, s. m. fault, blemish, vice, defect, folly, imperfection. 

Vicissitude, s.f vicissitude, revolution, change. 

Victime, s.f. a victim, a sacrifice. 

Victoire, s.f. victory, conquest, triumph. 

Victorieux-se, a. victorious, prevalent. 

Vide, a. empty, void, hollow, waste, dead, devoid, vacant, lank. 
Vide, s. m. an empty space, gap, chasm, emptiness, vacancy. 
Vie, s.f. life, breath, heart's blood, days, lifetime. 
Vieil-le (pi. vieux), a. old, ancient, stricken in years, worn out. 
Vieillard, s. m. an old man, an ancient man, grey beard. 
Vieillesse, s.f. old age, oldness, staleness, years. 
Viendra, ind.fut. 3 sin. he shall come, arrive. F. venir. 
Viendrez, ind.fut. 2 pi. you shall come, arrive. F. venir. 
Viennent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they come, may arrive. F. ve- 
nir. 

Vient, ind. pres. 3 sin. he comes, arrives, comes along. F. venir. 
Vieux-vieil-le, a. old, ancient, stricken in years. 

26* 



VIV 



Vif-ve, a. lively, alive. 

Vigilant-e, a. vigilant, watchful, careful, circumspect. 
Vigne, s.f. vine, a vineyard, villa, country-seat. 
Vigoureux-se, a. vigorous, stout, brisk, lusty, lively, fresh. 
Vigueur, s.f. vigour, strength, robustness, stoutness, life. 
Vile, a. vile, base, mean, despicable, ignoble, earthy, coarse. 
Ville, s.f. town, city, place. 

Vimes, ind. pres. 1 pi. we saw, beheld, observed. F. voir 
Vingt, a. num. twenty. 
Vingt-six, a. num. twenty-six. 
Vint, ind. pret. 3 sin. he came, arrived. F. venir. 
Violee, part, violated, infringed, invaded. F. violer. 
Violemment, ad. violently, forcibly, eagerly, rashly, furiously. 
Violence, s.f. violence, eagerness, fierceness, extremity. 
Virent, ind. pret. 3 pi. they saw. F. voir. 
Virginien-ne, a. Virginian, relating to Virginia. 

Vis, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I live, breathe ; thou livest, breathest. F. 
vivre. 

Visage, s. m. the face, visage, phiz, feature. 
Visiblement, ad. visibly, clearly, plainly, evidently, perceptibly. 
Visite, ind. or subj. pres. 1 or 3 sin. I visit, he may explore. F. visi- t 
ter. 

Visiter, inf. va. to visit, go to see, search, rummage, explore. 
Vit, ind. pret. 3 sin. he saw, beheld, observed. F. voir. 
Vivacite, s.f. vivacity, liveliness, sprightliness, spirit. 
Vivant, ger. living, being alive, breathing. F. vivre. 
Vivant-e, a. living, lively, live, alive. 
Vive, a. from vif lively. 

Vivement, ad. briskly, sharply, vigorously, lively, eagerly. 
Vivifiant-e, a. vivifying, vivific, enlivening, quickening. 
Vivifie-e, part, vivified, quickened, revived. F. vivifier. 
Vivoit, imp. 3 sin. he lived. F. vive. 
Vivra, ind. fat. 3 sin. he shall be alive, living. F. vivre. 
Vivre, inf. vn. to live, be alive, be living, breathe, subsist, dwell. 
Vivre, s. m. food, diet. 

Vivres, s. m. pi. food, provisions, victuals, eatables. 

Vivrez, ind. fat. 2 pi. you shall live, dwell, be alive. F. vivre. 

Vivrois, ind. con. I or 2 sin. I should live, dwell, be alive. F. vivre. 



vou 



307 



Voeu-x, s. m. a vote, wishes, vows, desires. 

Voici, ad. behold, here is, this is, here are, these are, lo, look. 

Voie, 5./. way, road, trace, conveyance, leak, means, course. 

Voie (quHl), imp. 3 sin. let him see, behold, observe. F. voir. 

Voila, ad. behold, that is, those are ; there are, lo, look. 

Voile, s. m. a veil, curtain, cloak, colour, cover, show, pretence. 

Voile, s.f. a sail, ship or ships. 

Voile-e, part, veiled, covered, cloaked, coloured, showed. F. voiler. 
Voiler, inf. va. to veil, cover, cloak, colour, hide, conceal. 
Voir, inf. va. or vn. to see, behold, observe, consider, read> view, find. 
Vois, ind. pres. 1 or 2 sin. I see, observe, thou beholdest. F. voir. 
Voisin-e, a. contiguous, neigbouring, bordering, adjacent, next. 
Voisin-e, s. m. or f. a neighbour. 

Voit, ind. pres. 3 sin. he sees, beholds, observes, looks at. F. voir. 
Voix, s.f. the voice, singer, cry, vote, suffrage, poll. 
Vol, s. m. robbery, theft, robbing, thievery, stealth. 
Volage, a. substan. fickle, flitting, inconstant, desultory. 
Volcan, s. m. volcano, a burning mountain. 

Vole, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I steal, rob, he may rifle, pur- 
loin. F. voler. 

Vole, ind. or subj. pres. I or 3 sin. I fly at, he may wing, soar. F. 
voler. 

Volent, ind. or subj. pres. 3 pi. they fly, wing, he may soar. F. vo- 
ler. 

Voler, inf. va. or vn. to fly, fly about, wing, soar, to fly at. 
Volonte, s.f. will, mind, pleasure, arbitrament, meaning. 
Volontiers, ad. cheerfully, readily, gladly, willingly. 
Voltaire, s. prop. m. Voltaire, a celebrated French writer. 
Voltiger, inf. vn. to flutter, ride, fly about, hover, vault, tumble, 
Volume, s. m. volume, bulk, size. 

Volupte, s.f. voluptuousness, lust, luxury, pleasure, delight. 
Voluptueux-se, a. substan, voluptuous, libidinous, sensual. 
Vomit, ind. pres. or pret. 1 or 3 sin. he vomited, or vomits, disgorges. 
F. vomir. 

Vont, ind. pres. 3 pi. they go, walk. F. aller. 
Votre, poss. pron. sin. your. 

Voulant, ger. willing, being willing, intending. F. vouloir. 
Vouloir, inf. va. to will, be willing, please, intend, list. 



308 



ZEP 



Voulois, ind. impf. 1 or 2 sin. I would, or thou wast willing. F. vou- 

loir. 

Vouloit, ind. impf, 3 sin. he would, was willing, intended. F. vou- 

loir. 

Voulut, ind. pret. 3 sin. he would, was willing, intended. F. vou- 
loir. 

Vous, per. pron. you, ye. 

Voute, s.f. a vault, an arched roof. 

Voyage, s. m. a journey, travel, voyage, road, tour, excursion. 
Voyageur-se, s. m. traveller, wanderer, voyager, sea-faring. 
Voyant, ger. seeing, observing, beholding. F. voir. 
Voyez, ind. pres. 2 pi. you see, observe, behold. F. voir. 
Voyois, ind. impf. I or 2 sin. I saw, thou observedst. F. voir. 
Voyoit, ind. impf. 3 sin. he saw, observed, beheld. F. voir. 
Voyons, ind. pres. 1 pi. we see, observe, behold. F. voir. 
Vrai-e, a. true, real, right, sound, sincere, sterling, pure, sure. 
Vraiment, ad. truly, indeed, yes, verily, really, yea. 
Vu-e, part, seen, observed, beheld, looked at. F. voir. 
Vue, s. f. the eyesight, look, face, prospect, view. 
Vulgaire, a. general, common, trite ; base, vile, vulgar, plebeian. 

w. 

Wabache, s. prop. m. Wabash, a river in N. America. 
Washington, s. prop. m. Washington, the hero of American Indepen- 
dence. 

Y. 

Y, ad. there, thither, within. 

Y, pron. at it, at them, by it, by them, for them, in it, in them. 
Yeux, s. m.pl. from azil y the eyes. 

z. 

Zele, 8. m. zeal, passionate ardour, devoutness, passion. 
Zele-e, a. zealous, full of zeal, hearty, warm, affectionate. 
Zephyr, s. m. zephyr. 

Zone, s.f. zone, each of the five divisions of the globe. 



OBSERVATIONS 

ON A PRACTICAL 

SYSTEM OF TRANSLATION; 

WITH A FEW REMARKS 

ON THE MODES GENERALLY PURSUED 

IN 

LEARNING LANGUAGES. 



OBSERVATIONS 

ON 

A PRACTICAL SYSTEM OF TRANSLATION. 



Before we attempt to give an idea of this system of 
translation, it seems to be incumbent upon us frankly to 
express our opinion in regard to the particular methods 
which may be, and those that are, generally pursued in 
teaching languages. We must, therefore, at the very out- 
set, say, that no mode of instruction has yet been, or will 
ever be, discovered, which, in any manner, can supersede 
the necessity of judicious and skilful teachers, and the 
order of instruction that they must devise, consistent, in 
every respect, with the particular age, capacity, and ac- 
quirements of their pupils. 

Books may impart more or less knowledge, may explain 
more or fewer difficulties ; but they cannot, in themselves, 
supply deficiencies or infuse a sympathetic ardor, the two 
only qualities that can give any system claims to superi- 
ority. One author in his book may have foreseen more 
difficulties in acquiring the science of which he treats than 
another, and therefore given more ample explanations ; 
another may have conceived more niceties or subtilties in 
the science itself, and given more elucidations ; but no 
one can know the particular obstacles which will arise to 



312 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



the minds of different learners, except he who is constant- 
ly watching the impediments that obstruct their progress. 
He alone, therefore, can remove them at the moment when 
they are presented. If he be not sufficiently skilful in 
effecting this to the satisfaction of the student, if he be 
not possessed of sufficient vigor and activity to impart 
courage by example, the best systems will avail but little ; 
and if he be, the worst will accomplish all that is needed. 

Few there are, indeed, so strongly impressed with the 
necessity of what they learn, as to keep alive, by the sim- 
ple impulse of their ambition, that interior flame of enthu- 
siasm, which cheers amidst difficulties, and presses forward 
amidst obstacles. The generality of students, of whatever 
age or condition they may be, feel the necessity of some 
stimulus besides that of the advantages which the acquisi- 
tion of any knowledge or science places before them. 
The reward of study is too far removed to be always con- 
sidered, and too uncertain, to be always expected. The 
learner must therefore feel a strong desire of improvement, 
which will rouse him to study for the sake of knowledge 
itself ; a great anxiety to overcome obstacles, for the sake 
only of overcoming them. These, it is not in the power 
of any book or system to impart. They proceed from that 
sympathetic feeling, with which the well regulated warmth 
and enthusiasm of our instructed inspire us ; if, by his 
skill and judgment, he has obtained our entire confidence. 

A superficial observer, who should not carry his inves- 
tigations beyond the present age, might, at the sight of so 
many new dictionaries and new grammars, all " better ,J 
than those which preceded them, doubt whether, a cen- 
tury since, any language or science could at all be acquir- 
ed. Yet it is well known, that the Greeks and Romans 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 313 



availed themselves as we do, of elementary aids to acquire 
a correct knowledge of their languages, and of rhetorics 
to use them with elegance and effect. No longer time 
was allowed then, than is now, to accomplish all this ; yet, 
for the last two hundred years, we have been supposed to 
improve on the ancient systems. There must have been, 
therefore, something superior to any general method, su- 
perior to any elementary book ; that is, good instructers. 

Elementary treatises, whatever excellencies they may- 
possess, and under whatever aspect they may be viewed, 
cannot be said to offer any other advantages than to enable 
the instructer to advance his pupils with less labor, and 
them to study their lessons with more satisfaction and less 
difficulty. For it will scarcely be doubted, that a good 
teacher may be able to explain more, and with greater 
success, than the best elementary book which can possibly 
be written. If, in the acquisition of any language, every 
student could have an eminent teacher who would devote 
to him his undivided attention ; who would analyze the 
particular character of his mind ; who would explain to 
him every difficulty as it would be presented, and commit 
to writing, in a manner suitable to his comprehension, the 
principal rules by which the language is directed, we 
should have found a system, which if we followed, the 
want of elementary books would not be felt, and a system, 
in our opinion, the nearest to perfection. Languages, and 
indeed any science, will therefore, be taught with greater 
success, whatever elementary books may be used, in those 
institutions, in which the instructers are more skilful, 
patient, and judicious, and the classes consist of a small 
number of students. 

It may be easily conceived, that with sentiments like 
27 



314 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION* 



these, which observation and long experience have con- 
firmed, we shall always protest against those elementary 
books, the purport of which is to make a language or 
science attainable by every individual in a certain given 
time, or to supersede the necessity of teachers. The 
minds of men are too varied in their operations, too dif- 
ferent in their pursuits, to be all supposed of equal powers 
and capacity for acquiring a science. As to the possibility 
of books being written, in the use of which no student 
will feel the necessity of an instructer, we have long 
thought it could only be believed by those, who take shad- 
ows for realities, and place confidence in imaginary vis- 
ions. 

We do not doubt that nature may have dealt profusely 
with some few,^ to whom the acquisition of knowledge is 
of comparatively little difficulty ; who can conceive with 
wonderful rapidity, and retain with astonishing distinct- 
ness. These individuals may certainly acquire a new 
science or language by themselves, but it u will be only 
when they have gone through a previous course of studies, 
and the new language or science is nearly akin to some 
to which they have previously devoted their attention. 
Yet even to these gifted and advanced students, the great 
utility of the timely assistance of some good master cannot 
be denied. There are also others who have received the 
sublime spark of genius for some particular science, of 
which they become themselves the teachers. Bacon, New- 



* M There are few persons of so penetrating a genius and so just a 
judgment, as to be capable of learning the arts or sciences without the 
assistance of teachers." Watts. " The Improvement of the Mind." 
Chap. vi. p. 73. Georgetown ed. 12mo. 1813. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 315 

ton, Locke, and others are standing monuments of the 
truth of this assertion. Far from feeling the necessity of 
instructors, they arrived, by the force of their own intel- 
lect, at those profound and concealed truths, which be- 
came the origin of new instructers and new books. Such 
men will always form an exception to every system or man- 
ner of instruction whatsoever, and cannot therefore be 
taken into consideration by the writers of any elementary 
work. 

Considering then these extraordinary individuals as ex- 
ceptions, we doubt not that he who pursues the study of 
any foreign language, will soon come to the conclusion, 
that his only object is to understand and express thoughts 
with written or spoken signs, different from those to which 
he has been accustomed. To be acquainted with the 
meaning of those signs and the rules by which they are 
united to convey thoughts, is unquestionably his end, what- 
ever be the means to accomplish it. Being impressed with 
the belief that in a dictionary he can find the former, and 
the latter in a grammar, it will be natural for him to imagine 
that if he should commit these two books to memory, he 
would be a perfect master of the language. 

This impression would delude him, as it has deluded 
many, who have followed it as an infallible mode of attain- 
ing their end. We know it has been expressed and propa- 
gated by some, who, until lately, have been considered, in 
regard to languages, as oracles of instruction. They never 
took, or would take, into consideration, the fact, that both 
grammars and dictionaries must, by their very nature, be 
deficient. These may, indeed, furnish us with the signi- 
fication of the words contained in the language of our 



316 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



pursuit.* They may teach us by rules and explanations, 
how they are generally used and connected to express our 
ideas. They may present to our view the meaning of 
many, a nicety of idiom, or explain, in short, the many dif- 
ficulties we shall have to encounter. But they will never 
he found sufficient to give us a true notion of the various 
ways in which complex ideas are expressed or may be ren- 
dered on different occasions, according to the precise gen- 
ius of the language we learn.t Much less will these aids 
alone give us the right conception of those ideas conveyed 
by subtilties and niceties of expression, which cannot be 
rendered into any other language. Thus words produce 



* Even this would only be the case in regard to the unmodified words 
In common use. For it is evident, that no dictionary, how ponderous 
soever, can contain the meaning of all the words in their various ramifi- 
cations ; and of all those used in the sciences known, which would be 
of absolute necessity to make a dictionary perfect. 

f In English there are not less than thirty-four different ways to ex- 
press the passion of anger alone. Blair, in his excellent work on 
Rhetoric, Lecture ninth, lays down the thirty following ; ' Anger, 
wrath, passion, rage, fury, outrage, fierceness, sharpness, animosity, 
eholer, resentment, heat, heart-burning, to fume, storm, inflame, be in- 
censed, to vex, kindle, irritate, enrage, exasperate, provoke, fret, to be 
sullen, hasty, hot 5 rough, sour, peevish,' Sic. All these words are used 
to express a general idea ; yet it is as variously modified, in English* 
as there are words to signify it. Among these delicate modifications, 
there are some which we cannot exactly conceive by the help of any 
sounds or signs of other languages, bacause they do not furnish equiva- 
lents to convey them, We must therefore infer their meaning from the 
manner in which they are used, and from their connexion with other 
words in the language to which they belong. They must be conceive 
ed as the representatives of ideas, modified in a manner which we 
should have never conceived, had it not been for the new language 
acquired. This observation will apply to every other tongue. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



317 



modifications of ideas, and modifications too, which can 
be conceived only in the words of the foreign dialect.* 

All these considerations have induced us to believe, that 
grammars and dictionaries, whilst we pursue the study of 
a language, may prove to be of very great utility, but no 
language can be ultimately learned unless the language 
itself be made the chief instrument of its acquisition. 
Lt That grammar is to go hand in hand with translation," 
says a profound and learned linguist, c< in the study of an- 
cient languages, is unquestionably the opinion of critics, 
the voice of experience, and the sense of mankind on this 
subject. "f This opinion in regard to the ancient, is not 
less applicable to the modern, languages. For as well might 
we think of learning mathematics without the solution of 
problems, as languages without the practice of translation, 
and the constant application of rules. Hence the reason 
that a skilful teacher will always produce better scholars 
with indifferent grammars and dictionaries, than a super- 
ficial pedagogue with the best elementary systems. 

The immortal works, in which the language of a nation 
is embodied, must, whatever methods we may follow, be 
felt and understood, before we can know the language. 
We repeat, that this cannot be accomplished unless we make 
a study of those works themselves ; which when we do not 



* The expressions c home, ccmfort, to be in the dumps, the mighty 
deep,' &c. in English; desenvoltura, aeierto, desamor, despejo, pasar- 
lo Men, &c. in Spanish, will, we hope, without going to any other lan- 
guage, sufficiently support this observation. To this class of expres- 
sions we must add the boundless variety of phraseology with which 
ideas are rendered in different languages and by different authors. 

| Edward Damphotjx, President of St. Mary's College. " Greek 
Course, with Notes and Illustrations" 8fc. Baltimore ed, 12mo. 1826. 

27* 



318 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



understand, or when we construe wrongly, we want a 
guide to direct us. This guide cannot be found in elemen- 
tary works alone ; it must be sought in good instructers. 
They will, by their explanations, remove our immediate 
difficulty, and give us a right conception of the beauties 
and niceties of the language. 

Thus the progress of the students depending, if not 
entirely, at least chiefly, on the excellence of the teacher, 
it follows that the elementary books used will, if very de- 
ficient at first, not long remain in this state. As they, 
according to our opinion, only spare him and his pupils 
more or less labor, he will soon improve them, or introduce 
others, that his task may be more easily accomplished. 
Thus good instructers, whatever theorists may say, will 
always be able to supply the deficiencies of elementary 
books ; but elementary books will never supply the defi- 
ciencies of bad instructers. 

As we consider the best grammars and dictionaries as 
mere auxiliaries while we are learning to construe and 
translate a language, so we think them of absolute necessi- 
ty after we have attained our end.* When we can clearly 
conceive ideas conveyed by those signs with which we 
were before unacquainted, we must know by what princi- 
ples and regulations they are properly and correctly united 
and arranged, to express our thoughts with them in any 
fixed or settled manner. From the exercise of translation. 



* It has been said, and we think very properly and judiciously, " It 
must be remembered, that if the grammar be the first book put into the 
learner's hands, it should also be the last to leave them ; and that it 
must therefore combine elementary principles with critical detail." 
Edward Everett. Preface to his Translation of " Buttmann's 
Greek Grammar " p. vi. Second ed. 8vo, 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



319 



many of those signs will unquestionably remain impressed 
on our minds, yet we shall frequently have occasion to 
express thoughts in the new language, for which we 
shall not find ourselves possessed of appropriate terms. 
When this is the case, no one will pretend to doubt the 
absolute necessity of a repository, wherein we may find 
those representative signs, without which our progress 
would be arrested. All this, we must confess, can be ac- 
complished without an instructer. Indeed it may be well 
imagined, that the period must arrive when the student is 
to be left alone ; capable, however, of correcting his errors, 
and supplying his deficiencies by practice and reiterated ex- 
ertion. In this stage of advancement, the particular mer- 
its of grammars and dictionaries will materially affect the 
progress of the learner towards a profound acquaintance 
with the language he studies.* 

It has been handed down to us, that the system of teach- 
ing arts and sciences by instructers alone, and by mere 
oral explanation, was only followed in ancient times by 
some particular philosophers. Their pupils depended chief- 
ly on the powers of their memory, which they strengthen- 
ed by long continued use. Whatever might be the other 
faculties of the mind for obtaining knowledge, as they 
were permitted to lie dormant, they were not in the least 
subservient to improvement. Arts and sciences must have 
been learned generally, and superficially, not being ulti- 
mately the result of one's own individual investigation, nor 
the effect of long and patient reflection. This mode of 



* In the latter pages of these observations, we have proposed a plan, 
by which we think the unaided efforts of the student, after he has arrived 
at this stage, may probably prove successful. 



320 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



instruction, viewed as a general system, must be pro- 
nounced deficient in its very nature. Even to those pos- 
sessed of a ready and retentive memory, for whom it seems 
to be particularly adapted, it only afforded inconsiderable 
advantages. Thus we see it almost abandoned even be- 
fore the destruction of the ancient empires, and followed 
at the present day, only by a few superficial, but boisterous 
pedagogues. 

From the remotest periods, elementary instruction seems, 
therefore, to have been obtained by oral instruction and 
written explanation. As the latter was attended, before 
the wonderful invention of printing, with no inconsiderable 
difficulty, it may be reasonably supposed that the former 
preponderated. In more recent periods, this has not been 
the case. The increase of elementary treatises has done 
much to remove obstacles, and teachers have had no reason 
to complain of the want of auxiliaries. The system of 
imparting elementary instruction may be said, therefore* 
generally to be through the medium of oral and written ex- 
planation. Indeed, these are the only exterior aids by 
which man can receive new knowledge. Every other as- 
sistance he must seek within himself, and in his own ex- 
ertions. 

This, we believe, every one will admit. All the contra- 
riety of opinion, all the variety of new systems, all the heat 
and extravagance shown by theorists, arise, therefore, not 
from a desire to change this the universal system of educa- 
tion, but simply to apply it in a different manner, that the 
" road to knowledge M may be shortened. In regard to 
languages, we may freely say, that all the systems which have 
been proposed by Locke, Sterling, Du Marsais, Fremont, 
Radonvilliers, Boisjermin, and others, are essentially the 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



321 



same as those which have been followed for centuries past. 
In the latter, grammar is learned before ; in the former, it 
is insisted that grammar should be learned after, a language 
has been acquired. To this end thy propose interlineary 
translations, strictly and rigorously literal, of some books 
written in the language itself* Voltaire, and after him, 
Dufief and others, are of the same opinion in regard to 
grammar. They propose, however, that instead of study- 
ing a language through the medium of interlineary trans- 
lation, an entire dictionary be committed to memory. t 

He that has attended to the nature of language, and 
reasons philosophically on ideas, and on the signs which 
represent them, will not find much difficulty in assenting 
to the opinion of these men. It is an irrefragable maxim, 
that grammar is, and must be, subsequent to language, as 
rhetoric is to eloquence, or logic to reasoning. But that 
rhetoric should be learned after we are become eloquent, 
logic after we are good reasoners, or the rules of any 
science after we are proficients in the science itself, is a 



* Locke's idea is, that a foreign language should be learned as the 
mother tongue was acquired. To this end he proposes this plan. " To 
trouble the child with no grammar at all, but to have Latin, as Eng- 
lish has been, without the perplexity of rules, talked into him." If 
this method cannot be pursued for the want of one who can speak 
good Latin, The next best," continues this great metaphysician, " is, 
to have him taught as near this way as may be, which is, by taking 
some easy and pleasant book, such as JE sop's Fabies, and writing the 
English translation (made as literal as it can be) in one line, and the 
Latin words, which answer each of them, just over it in another." 
John Locke. " Some Thoughts concerning Education." Works, 
vol. viii, § 165, 166. pp. 153-155. Lond. ed. 8vo. 1794. 

f We have already endeavoured -to prove the fallacy of this system. 
See pages 315-317, 



322 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



doctrine to which we cannot subscribe. It strikes us, that, 
as a general principle, it would defeat the very end for 
which improvements in shortening the " road to knowledge" 
are made. For we know not of any other means to facili- 
tate the acquisition of any science whatever, than the full 
and lucid explanations of instructers and books, directing 
us to conceive right, and practise well, the science itself. 
This is what we understand by rule, applied to any study 
whatsoever ; and rule, thus understood, is of absolute ne- 
cessity to any one but a sublime genius. 

As, however, the science of translating or understanding 
a foreign language has been erroneously supposed merely 
to consist in exchanging sounds, it is therefore concluded, 
that if the labor of making these exchanges be shortened, 
the time in obtaining the power of translating must also be 
shortened. Let the equivalent meaning, it is said, be put 
under each and every word of a phrase or sentence, and 
the student has nothing to do but read, and " cheminfai- 
sant " towards an acquaintance with grammar, learn to 
translate with ease and rapidity.* Far be it from us to 
keep from the hands of the student any auxiliaries which 
will aid him in accomplishing his task, whatever it be, in 
a shorter period than usual, if, by this new auxiliary, it can 
be as weil accomplished. But we think, that by the pres- 
ent system, the task of translating must necessarily be in- 
distinctly and superficially i and as a consequence, we may 
add, slowly accomplished. 



* "Thus in the Hamiltonian method [interlineary translation], a 
good deal of grammar necessarily impresses itself upon the mind, che* 
win faisant, as it does in the vernacular tongue, without any rule at 
all, and merely by habit." — Edinburgh Review , June, 1826 ; vol. xlh\ 
No. 87, page 66. 



OBSERVATIONS ON 



TRANSLATION. 



323 



We shall, however, investigate the subject more minute- 
ly, and enter into details, that the merits of this system 
may be fully unfolded. We have already had occasion to 
say, that this plan has been mentioned by the great Locke 
and others. Within the last century, various books on the 
plan have been written.* They were, however, abandoned 
by instructers in general, and only used by those who de- 
sired to teach languages superficially. Recently, Mr. Ham- 
ilton, actuated by the praiseworthy ambition of rendering 
the knowledge of languages more easy of acquisition, has 
printed books on that system, and has used all endeavours to 
introduce them generally. Mr. Hamilton has, however, 
been frequently assailed with harsh epithets for having pre- 
sented himself before the world as the inventer of this sys- 
tem, and called it Ilamiltonian. 

In a very spirited and off-hand article of the Edinburgh 
Review, which we have already had occasion to mention, 
he is proved to be the inventer of it, by the principle, that 
he is " not the discoverer of any art who first says the 
thing; but he who says it so long, and so loud, and so 
clearly, that he compels mankind to hear him." f The 
Reviewers should have added, and ultimately succeeds, and 
practically proves to mankind the excellence of his dis- 
covery. 



* Du Marsais deserves the credit of having been the first who strong- 
ly supported the system of Interlineary Keys. See " Exposition 
d'une Methode raisonnee pour apprendre la Langue Latine." (Eu 
vres de Du Marsais. Pari3 ; 1797. 8vo. — See the American Journal of 
Education, No. 22. April, 1828. pages 215-228. 

f Edinburgh Review, No. 87, page 48. 



324 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



We think it of very trifling importance, whether Mr. 
Hamilton be or be not the in venter of the system. We 
should not have adverted to the subject, had it not been 
mentioned by those disciples of this system. Since they 
think it of so great importance to the world, it is but fair 
to state, that Luneau de Boisjermin,* an individual whom 
the Reviewers do not mention,f is he, who not only pub- 
lished a book on the plan in question, but even with the 
improvements which the Reviewers^ suggest to Mr. Ham- 
ilton. He did speak 1 loud, 5 ' long,' and ' clearly,' and was 
heard. The system was tried, and, as far as we have been 
able to ascertain, proved to be ineffectual, except in regard 
to some modern languages, and to those individuals who 
were already acquainted with the general principles of 
grammar, and versed in the minutice of the ancient tongues. 

In the Colleges at Niort and Condom, we know it to be a 
fact, and as far as we have been able to ascertain, through- 
out all the primary Colleges in France, before the Revolu- 



* We say Luneau de Boisjermin, though much after Du Marsais, be- 
cause he carried the system much further, and attempted; by his ' loud 9 
accents, to make it universal. 

t Notwithstanding the claims which Du Marsais has to the invention 
of this system, and the works which he and Boisjermin published with 
interlineary keys, they are not mentioned in the enumeration made by 
these Reviewers, of all the authors who have written books on this 
plan. In their Review, No. 87, page 49, we find the following words : 
" The works upon this subject on this plan, published before the time 
of Mr. Hamiltou, are Montanus's edition of the Bible, with Pagnini's 
interlineary Latin version; Lubin's New Testament, having the Greek 
interlined with Latin and German ; Abbe d'Olivet's Pensees de Cice- 
ron ; and a French work by the Abbe Radonvilliers, Paris, 1768, — and 
Locke upon Education." 

\ Edinburgh Review, No. 87, p. 63. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



325 



lion, learners began the study of Latin by the system of in- 
terlineary translation. The teacher repeated a certain 
given quantity of Latin words of the Epitome Historic Sa- 
cra, in their original order, and their corresponding mean- 
ing in French. The pupils copied what the teachers dic- 
tated, and thus they studied their lesson. In process of 
time, it was thought that this was a superficial mode, and 
a vocabulary was accordingly attached to the Epitome Flis- 
torice Sacrce. Since that time, 1784 to 1790, this vocabu- 
lary has superseded the interlineary trenslation, and the 
students have been supposed to make more rapid and satis- 
factory progress than when the system of closely literal trans- 
lation was followed. It must, however, be observed, that a 
previous knowledge of some principles of grammar, which 
any boy of common capacity could in six weeks attain, was, 
and is, required. 

This mode of instruction is considered (and we concur 
in the opinion) an improvement upon the interlineary sys- 
tem. Anxious, however, to present it in its fairest light, 
and to give the reader an opportunity of judging for him- 
self, we shall extract a few lines from the work published 
by Boisjermin, and from his follower, Mr. Hamilton. 
Whether the accents of the first were not as ' loud ' as the 
4 forty -eight ' or 1 warranted ' lessons of the second, may 
be gathered from the title-page of the work he published 
in 1795, in two volumes: " Jerusalem Delivree, ou Cours 
de la Langue Italienne ; ti V Aide duquel on pent apprendre 
cette Langue chez soi, sans Maitre et en Deux ou Trois 
Mois de Lecture" 

To the interlineary, he adds that free translation, which 
the Reviewers earnestly recommend to Mr. Hamilton, and 
which, we believe, has since been adopted in some of his 
28 



326 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



books. The two following stanzas of the Jerusalem De- 
livered will fully show the system of Boisjermin.* 

Canto Primo. 
Chant Premier. 

1. Canto P armi 1 pietose e '12 Capitano A V armi pour It 

Je chante les amies pieuses et le capitaine armi. 
Che J l 3 gran Sepolcro libero di Cristo. 2 e 9 l pour ed il. 

qui le grand sepulcre delivra de Christ. 3 che 'I gran pour 

Molto egli opr6 col 4 senno e con la mano ; che il grande. 
Beaucoup il Jit avec la prudence et aveclamain ; 4 col pour con ih 
Molto soffri nel glorioso acquisto : 
beaucoup il suffrit dans la glorieuse conquete : 

E invanS F Inferno a lui s'oppose, e invano 5 invan pour in- 

et en vain V enfer a lui s'opposa, et en vain vano. 
S* arm6 d' Asia e di Libia il popol 6 misto ; 6 popol pour pop- 

s' arma d 9 Asie et de Lybie lepeuple reuni; polo. 
Che '1 Ciel gli die 7 favore, e sotto ai santi 7 did pour diede* 
puisque le ciel lui donna protection et sous les saints 
Segni ridusse i suoi compagni erranti. 
drapeaux ramena les siens compagnons errants. 



* Within the last year Mr. Bolmar, Professor of the French Language 
at the High School of Philadelphia, has published Perrin's Fables, and 
the Adventures of Telemachus, with interlineary keys. Mr. Bolmar 
has executed his task with skill and discrimination, and has, in our 
opinion, improved the system itself. His thorough knowledge of the 
French language, and his acquaintance with the English, together with 
the experience which he must have gained necessarily by his profession, 
have enabled him to produce better free and interlineary translations 
than those of his recent predecessors. We have seen the books them- 
selves, and also a review of them in number 28 of the American 
Journal of Education. At the same time, however, that we must 
praise the faithful execution of the works of Mr. Bolmar, we are con- 
strained to oppose the general system of interlineary translation, against 
the opinion of men for whom we feel great respect and esteem. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



327 



2. O Musa, tu che di caduchi allori 
O Muse, toi qui de freles lauriers 
Non circondi la fronte in Elicona, 
»' environnes le front sur V Helicon, 
Ma su nel Cielo, infra i beati cori, 
mais en-haut dans le ciel, entre les beats chosurs, 
Hai di stelle immoi tali aurea corona ; 
as oV etoiles immortales une oVor couronne ; 
Tu spira al petto mio celesti ardori : 
toi soufle a lapoitrine mienne de celestes ardeurs : 
Tu rischiara il mio canto ; e tu perdona 
toi eclaire le mien chant ; et toiperdonne ; 
S'l intesso fregj al ver, 2 s' adoi no in parte 1 s' pour se. 
si je tresse des ornemens a la verite,sijepare en partie 2 ver pour vero. 
D'3 altii diletti, che de' 4 tuoi, le carte. 3 d' pour di, 

d 9 autres agremens que des tiens, les vers. 4 de* pour dei. 

1. Je chante la guerre sainte, et le General qui delivra le celebre tom- 
beau de Jesus-Christ. U se servit beaucoup de sa prudence et de sa 
force : il eut beaucoup a souffrir dans cette glorieuse conquete. En 
vain FEnfer s'eleva contre lui : en vain les peuples de FAsie et de 
FAfrique reunircnt leuis aimes : la protection que le Ciel lui accorda, 
lui fit ramener sous ses etendards sacres ses compagnons errants. 

2. O Muse ; o toi qui ne ceins point ton front sur FHelicon d'un 
frele laurier, mais qui, placee au haut des cieux, entre les chceurs des 
bienheureux, portes une couronne briliante d'etoiles immortelles, souffle 
dans mon sein tes celestes ardeurs, ennoblis mes chants, pardonne-moi 
si j'entour la verite d'ornemens, et si je prete aussi a mes vers d'autres 
agremens que les tiens. 



The following are verses from the Gospel of St. John 
in Italian. Under them is Mr. Hamilton's interlineary 
translation in English. 



328 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



1 Nel principio era il Verbo, e il Verbo era appresso Dio, 
In the beginning ivas the word, and the word was near to God, 

e il Verbo era Dio. 
and the word was God. 

2 Questo era nel principio appresso Dio. 
This was in the beginning near to God. 

3 Per mezzo di lui tutte le cose furon fatte : e senza di lui 
By means of him all the things were made : and without of him 

nulla fu fattb di cio die e stato fatto. 
nothing was made of that ivhieh is been made. 

4 Jn lui era la vita, e la vita era la luce degli uomini : 
In him was the life, and the life was the light of the men: 

5 E la luce splende tra le tenebre, e le tenebre hanno 
And the light shines among the darknesses and the darknesses have 

non ammessa la. 
not admitted her. 

6 Vi fu un uomo mandato da Dio cbe nomava si Giovanni. 
There was a man sent by God who did name himself John. 

7 Questi venne qual testimone, affin di rendere testimonianza alia 
This came like as witness, in order of to render testimony to the 
luce, onde per mezzo di lui tutti credessero. 

^ light, whence by mean of him all might believe. 



After these specimens, we shall forget their authors, and 
limit our observations to closely literal interlineary transla- 
tions as the irjeans of acquiring languages. We must 
therefore say, that, by it, the labor of turning over a diction- 
ary to find the meaning of the words in the original, is 
most unquestionably avoided. So far we see a very great 
advantage. After having read Nel principio era, the mere 
turning over the pages in a dictionary and grammar, to find 
out its equivalent signification, is, we must confess, a mere 
mechanical labor, a 4 pure ' expense of time. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



329 



But will the knowledge of the words thus found in the 
grammar and dictionary, and thus seen in the interlineary 
translation, be alike ? We answer, No. 

If to translate a language consisted only in the exchange 
of one sound for another ; if every language known were 
similar in idiom and construction ; if it were true that the 
words of any language have each but one meaning, and that 
this one meaning can be rendered into any other language 
by one equivalent word ;* if all ideas were simple and could 
not be defined or modified, and if this possibility of defi- 
nition and modification did not give rise to as much varie- 
ty of expression as the mind is capable of creating, we 
should be the first that would exclaim in favor of the sys- 
tem of ready exchange. But as words assume different 
significations according as they are used in a sentence ; 
as to express the various ideas of man, words must be form- 
ed into chains, every link of which must be. and is, regu- 
larly fixed, according to the particular genius of each 
particular language ; this dependence, as well as the man- 
ner in which this regular chain is formed, must be known, 
before the ideas contained in those words can be precisely 
conceived. 

The consideration of " the case of the substantive, the 
syntaxical arrangement in which it is to be placed, and the 
relation which it bears to other words," is to be left, say 
the Reviewers,f for the time when the pupil has attained 
a -* greater skill in the language." So we say. No one 



* This, unfounded as it is, has been proclaimed, by Mr. Hamilton, to 
be a principle founded on the nature of languages. See the prefaces 
to all his interlineary translations. 

f Edinburgh Review, No. 87, p. 51. 

28* 



330 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



can doubt that the application of syntax must be left for 
an advanced stage of the pupil. But the case, and the 
syntactical arrangement in which words are placed, must 
be, known before their meaning can be fully and precisely 
understood. We perceive a great difference between 
knowing the manner in which a sentence is actually arrang- 
ed, and possessing the power of arranging it. The first 
is, according to our opinion, of absolute necessity in order 
to understand, the second, in order to speak or write a 
foreign language. The first of these two qualities is not 
only found but supposed to be useless in this system.* 
Here it is, that we find it deficient and superficial. If the 
system supposed that the student should have a monitor 
constantly by him, or the use of other books that would 
supply this deficiency, we should have much less to say. 
But this very system and its supporters think it ideal, vision- 
ary, that the case, syntax, and relation of words should be 
known in order to understand them correctly. 



* The teachers of this system are to be occupied in teaching the 
sense of a foreign phrase, not as produced by the peculiar combination, 
and the different relations, of the words which compose it, but as com' 
pared with the sounds, and disfigured genius of another tongue. " The 
master stands," say the Reviewers, pages 53, 54, " in the middle, trans- 
lates accurately and literally the whole verse, and then asks the boys 
the English words, or challenges them to join the words together as he 
has done." Then the Reviewers make the following comparison. 
" How is it possible to compare this with the solitary wretchedness of 
a poor lad of the desk and lexicon, suffocated with the nonsense of 
grammarians, overwhelmed with every species of difficulty dispropor- 
tionate to his age, and driven by despair to peg, top, or marbles ? " 
Mirabile inventu ! 



OBSERVATIONS OS TRANSLATION. 



331 



We are, we must confess, of a different opinion. It is 
painful to us to differ in this particular from such men as 
Locke* and Du Marsais, but we cannot go against our own 
judgment, when practical experience shows it to be correct. 
We will endeavour to demonstrate by some words of the 
passage of the Gospel which we have copied with Mr. 
Hamilton's interlineary translation, that a right conception 
cannot be had of them, by means of the interlineary trans- 
lation alone. 

Mr. Hamilton translates nel, by the exact and precise 
equivalent * in the.' We consider the student as conceiving 
by the word ?iel, precisely and exattly what he conceives 
by the expression ' in the.' After some lines he finds the 
word negli, which is also rendered by 1 in the. 5 It is cer- 
tain that neither of these words has any other signification, 
nor can it be rendered by any other expression than 1 in 
the.' No student can have, however, a right conception of 
nel and negli, as separate and distinct words, and represent- 
ing therefore separate and distinct ideas, or at least rela- 
tions, unless he gathers it, not from 1 in the,' which can 
only represent one idea, one relation, but from the gram- 
mar, or an oral expounder, that will aid him to conceive 
the precise difference between we/and negli. 

We are told that the object of an interlineary key should 
be to render as literally as possible the words of the 
original. It is supposed, and confidently asserted, that by 
this means the precise spirit and signification of words in 
any language can be given in another, and be perfectly 
both felt and understood by the student. We cannot con- 
cur in this opinion. Le tenebre, for example, is translated 
by 4 the darknesses,' By this system, repetition is the 



* See p. 321, note. 



332 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



only manner in which words are to be impressed or incul- 
cated on the mind of the student. He must be constantly 
exchanging audibly or inaudibly, le tenebre, into 1 the dark- 
nesses,' to which he must necessarily attach a ludicrous 
idea. If that expression, on the other hand, be translated 
by 'darkness,' then the sense, and not the spirit of it, 
is felt. In neither case can he conceive le tenebre, like an 
Italian. A grammar, therefore, or a living instructer,* 
that will lead the student to refer these two words to the 
precise idea they contain, and not to their imperfect equiv- 
alents 4 darkness ' or ' darknesses,' is, in our opinion, of ab- 
solute necessity. 

Senza di lui, is turned into English by e without of him.' 
The latter expression must necessarily create a wrong idea 
of the former. Senza di lui, means 6 without him,' and the 
only manner in which the student is to conceive the propri- 
ety of the additional di, is either by oral or written expla- 
nation. It is thus, and thus alone, that the student can 
conceive senza di lui, like an Italian, and give to this ex- 
pression its correspondent meaning, however idiomatic, in 
any other language with which he may be conversant. 
The student must conceive the meaning of sentences him- 



* The Reviewers (p. 52) seem to have found this living instructer 
in the system of interlineary translation. The discovery is thus notic- 
ed. " The common and most probable meanings of the word, "BdkXeo, 
or of any other word, are, in the Hamiltonian method, insensibly but 
surely fixed on the mind, which, by the Lexicon method, must be 
done by a tentative process, frequently ending in gross error, noticed 
with peevishness, punished with severity, consuming a great deal of 
time, and for the most part only corrected after all, by the accurate 
viva voce translation of the master, — or, in other words, by the Ham- 
iltonian method." 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



333 



self, it cannot be conceived for him ; if it could, we might 
learn languages by proxy. Le tenebre, senza cli ltd, tutte le 
cose, affin di, &,c. cannot be perfectly understood by any 
exchange with English words ; they must be conceived as 
representatives of ideas, and not equivalents of other ex- 
pressions. 

We shall conclude this analysis of words, by showing the 
difficulty in rendering the idea of existence or non-exis- 
tence by the interchange of sounds. Existence or non-ex- 
istence is understood in one and the same way by every 
man on the face of the globe. There can be only past, 
present, and future being. Yet of these three different 
states of existence, the first and last have been modified in 
a variety of manners by different nations. We find era 
and/)*, in the piece copied, translated by ' was.' Those 
two words cannot be rendered in any other manner, 
because past existence in such cases has not been di- 
vided in English, and 4 was ' alone, without any other 
explanation, will never make the student perfectly acquaint- 
ed with era or fa used as in the specimen. 

We hope we shall not be misunderstood. It is not our 
intention to say that young learners ever enter, or that 
they should enter, by process of thought, into these meta- 
physical distinctions. We are fully satisfied that a known 
language is the only instrument we possess for beginning 
the study of one that is unknown. But we are also certain 
that this unknown language cannot be well understood, 
unless, from the words and the peculiar arrangement of 
them into sentences, we derive the precise ideas which 
they represent, without the intervention of any other tongue 
whatsoever. This, we think, is our end in the study of 
any language. Any means, therefore, which will enable 



334 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



us to compare immediately a word or phrase with the idea 
or ideas it expresses will be the most efficacious. 

Interlineary translation tends entirely in a contrary di- 
rection. It does away the necessity of dwelling on the 
words of the original, as their representatives are constant- 
ly before the student. When once he sees without the 
least investigation, the general import of the sentence he is 
to translate, he will be little mindful of the manner in 
which it is produced. Indeed he does not feel the neces- 
sity of this ; his end, he thinks, is already accomplished, 
if he repeats the translation as he sees it.* By this means, 
the learner will no doubt proceed with great rapidity in the 
exchange of words, and understand generally the ideas of 
the books he has read with the interlineary keys. But this 
exercise will not lead him into the spirit of the language 
he attempts to study. Young learners may show off, by 
this system, to great advantage during the first five or six 
months after they have begun to study, if they are called 
on to translate books which they have learned by rote, with 
the interlineary keys. They will find themselves, however, 
sadly disappointed, if books, even less difficult than those 
which they have been accustomed to read, are put into 
their hands without those auxiliaries. It is for this reason 
we think that the progress of the student must necessarily 
be all along indistinct and superficial. 



* The Reviewers say (page 53), that there is no "other object in 
learning languages, than to turn something you do not understand into 
something you do understand." According to the same Reviewers, by 
the interlineary system, students begin to learn with hooks in which this 
something not understood, is already turned into that something which 
is understood. We should like to know, then, what it is that remains 
to be done by those who learn through this system. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 335 



In regard to the dead languages, the inefficacy of inter- 
lineary translation is much more apparent. We think that 
the various and intricate manner in which the tenses and 
cases of these transpositive languages are applied, cannot, 
by the practice of exchange alone, be perfectly understood. 
The Reviewers think, that by reading many Latin keys we 
must remark, " willingly or unwillingly, that the first per- 
son of Latin verbs ends in 0, the second in s, the third in t. 
That the same adjective ends in us or a according as the 
connected substantive is masculine or feminine, and such 
other gross and common rules." 

It requires very little philological knowledge to know 
that the modifications of the tenses of verbs in the Latin, 
Greek, &x. require either expressed or implied pronouns, 
as the substantives and adjectives require prepositions ; and 
that those modifications were expressive of such parts of 
speech when these languages were in their infancy. Time 
was then, and is now, expressed, in verbs, by their modifi- 
cations alone. Now we appeal to any man whose judg- 
ment is not misled by partiality, whether the habit of con- 
stantly translating amavissent by ' they might have loved,' 
and amati sunt, often amati alone, by c they have been lov- 
ed,' will teach the boy distinctly to feel a pronoun under- 
stood, and the particular change of time and voice, by vis- 
sent and sunt ? He may conceive the idea through Eng- 
lish, but the Latin word will not, cannot, represent it to his 
mind, until he has learned to conceive time and pronouns 
by modifications. This he cannot do unless he regularly tra- 
ces each and every modification to its source, and con- 
ceives progressively how it came to mean that which it 
really represents. 



336 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



Let us even suppose that every modification of nouns, 
adjectives, pronouns, and verbs, expressive always in the 
ancient tongues of new ideas and relations, can be perfect- 
ly represented in the key by an appropriate equivalent. It 
will then follow, that as words in English are susceptible of 
scarcely any modification, the student, whose cojna verbo- 
rum } so much talked of, depends on exchange, is obliged to 
learn not less than 1528 different and distinct words to have 
an idea of the forms of the four regular conjugations 
alone. To this it must be added, that the different appear- 
ance, which verbs will assume by the variety of radical 
letters, must, to say the least, constantly present new diffi- 
culties to him who considers all words as primitive and un- 
connected.* 

The various modifications of nouns, adjectives, and pro- 
nouns, are also productive of new words in the interlineary 
translation, which, if we wish to learn a language by ex- 
change, must necessarily make a part of the copia verbo- 



* After having spoken of the inutility of grammar, and touching 
upon the subject of nouns and verbs, Locke himself is obliged to say; 
" This being a more imperfect way than by talking Latin unto him [the 
student], the formation of the verbs first, and afterwards the declen- 
sions of the nouns and pronouns perfectly learned by heart, may facili- 
tate his acquaintance with the genius and manner of the Latin tongue. " 
(Locke on Education, Works, vol. viii, p. 155.) Mr. Hamilton, not- 
withstanding the £ nonsense of grammarians,' seems to feel the neces- 
sity of the simplest part of grammar, even after students have made 
some advancement. "When he [the student]," says he, " has read 
the Epitome, it will be then time to give him the theory of the verbs 
and other words which change their terminations." We know not, 
however, in what manner this theory is to be learned ; for he expressly 
says, it is " not to be got by heart," because " nothing is got by rote 
on this system." 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 337 



rum. Yet this offers few difficulties compared with the ob- 
stacles which the student must encounter, when he shall 
find that every modification may be susceptible of two, 
three or more meanings; and that there are differences 
without distinctions, and significations without equiva- 
lents.* 

When we take a more profound view of this subject, and 
reflect that in learning a foreign language we must not 
consider it, as it was in its infancy, the offspring of acci- 
dent, but as settled and polished by the productions of sub- 
lime intellects ; not as actually forming without rule or art, 
but as really formed both by rule and art ; not as sounds 
which, however uttered, will convey ideas, but as signs 
that must be regulated and directed by those laws which 
have been established by and for the people who use them ; 
we are lost in wonder at the idea that any one should hold 
forth the entire inutility of such laws to them who are de- 
sirous of speaking the language itself. It should be re- 
membered, that when languages have become identified 
with the character of the people who use them, they differ 
as much in sound as they do in construction and genius. 
What would it avail a foreigner to know that 4 may f and 
4 can,' ' should ' and 4 would,' 4 shall ' and 4 will,' &c. are 
translated into his language by such and such equivalents ; 
probably modifications of words, probably circumlocutions, 
which at once put a veil on the original meaning. His ob- 
ject is to conceive by rule and explanation the precise dif- 
ference which a native conceives from these words as vari- 



* On these difficulties, the greatest which occur in learning the dead 
languages, neither the great Locke, nor any one in favor of interlineary 
translation, says any thing. 

29 



338 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



ously applied, that he may, through them, and the words 
with which they are connected, gather their meaning and 
use. In Latin, for example, scribendum mild est, signifies 
'writing to me is. 5 A Latin scholar will immediately un- 
derstand by this sentence, without any English word in his 
mind, ' I must write.' This is therefore what every student 
should conceive. Yet he will not accomplish it, unless, by 
rule and explanation, he is led to understand the different 
meanings of these words, not according to their English 
equivalents, but according to the particular construction of 
that sentence. All this has been established by rule, and 
by rule he must learn it, that he may afterwards become 
exact in practice without rule. 

We are told however that children learn languages with- 
out art or rule, and that no language can be known if we 
are not able to hit on the very word or sentence, which is 
to express our idea.* Hence it is concluded that foreign 
languages should be talked into him that wants to learn 
them. We have never doubted that the practice of speak- 
ing a language will prove advantageous to the learner. 
Yet practice alone, after a certain period, is not sufficient. 
Even in regard to children, those learn the soonest and 
best whose mothers take pains in making them pronounce 
well, and speak according to rule. We have recently been 
astonished at the difference between that child whose pro- 
nunciation and language have been neglected, and that 
whose mother, endowed with great talents and extensive 



* ee A man who does not speak English or Latin perfectly by rote, «o I 
that having thought of the thing he would speak of, his thought of 
course, without thought of rule or grammar, falls into the proper ex- 
pression and idiom of that language, does not speak it well, nor is mas- 
ter of it." Locke on Education, Works, vol. viii, p. 160. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



339 



acquirements, has had the good sense also, in her maternal 
fondness, to make those superior advantages subservient to 
the advancement of her offspring. But as every dissenter 
from the orthodox mode of teaching languages with gram- 
mar has invariably appealed to the manner, without ex- 
plaining it, in which children acquire their mother tongue, 
we have, in justice to them and ourselves, directed our at- 
tention to this subject. We think that the operations of 
the mind in acquiring language are various at different 
ages, and that no tongue is, or can be, acquired in the same 
manner as that of our infancy.* 

Pressed by necessity and attracted by novelty, children 
first express their desires by the natural language of mo- 
tion. In proportion as they become more familiar with 
their wants and the objects that surround them, novelty de- 
creases, exertion is less animated, and the wish of expressing 
without labor more eager. Accustomed to hear one, two, 
or even three sounds in distinct languages for the same 
wants and objects, all become identified in their tender 
minds. They understand before they can speak, and be- 
gin to speak with an immediate reference to their wants. 
The language or languages they have heard, become by de- 
grees both the image and the representation of thought ; 



* One, two, or three languages may be acquired, if they are all 
spoken to us in our childhood, when we begin to utter words expressive 
of ideas. So far the observation of the great Locke is just. u Latin," 
says he, " is no more known to a child, when he comes into the world, 
than English; and so he might learn Latin too as Tuliy did." Locke 
on Education, Works., vol. viii. p. 153.. The observation, however, 
cannot hold after the child has attained to the age of eight or nine 
jvears, which is the period when he generally begins the study of that 
language. 



340 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



and whatever idea children wish to express is always con- 
nected with some word or words in one of the languages 
with which they have become familiar.* When children 
have advanced thus far, they begin to understand quickly, 
and to express themselves with great rapidity in the lan- 
guages they have been taught, and will use them, gram- 
matically or ungrammatically, elegantly or inelegantly, ac- 
cording as they may have heard them. 

Acquainted with general objects, and possessed of the 
one or more languages we have thus acquired to convey 
ideas ; whatever other idiom we may learn, must be studied 
as a science. It is true that if we are very young, and the 
language or languages of our childhood are not yet deeply 
rooted in our minds, we may, by forgetting them, learn an- 
other as we did the first.f But after the rules of our moth- 
er tongue have been learned theoretically, after we have at- 
tained to the age when other languages are usually studied, 
our own interferes with them, and rules are necessary 
to make a proper and right distinction. That we cannot 
make the distinction ourselves by practice alone, appears 
from the fact, that in places like Gibraltar, in which a great 
variety of languages are spoken, boys who manage well 
their mother tongue, gather all others imperfectly, pro- 
nounce them inaccurately, and make a sad amalgamation 
of them all. On the other hand, those who attend to 



* It will however^ be necessary never to permit them to mix the 
words of two languages in the same sentence. 

t The most superficial observer will have seen that when a young lad 
goes abroad, he forgets his mother tongue, if not kept up, in proportion 
as he acquires the language spoken in the foreign country where he re- 
sides. If his mother tongue be kept up, the new language is 3 and must 
be acquired as a science. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



341 



grammar, and learn them by rule, generally speak them 
with accuracy. 

When we have arrived at manhood, sounds different 
from those we have been accustomed to hear since our fac- 
ulties first dawned, cannot be caught without much exer- 
tion. It frequently occurs that a long series of years is 
scarcely sufficient to enable us to conceive the ideas they 
are meant to represent. Thus we see many men speaking 
unintelligibly, and often entirely ignorant of, the language 
of a foreign country, which they have constantly heard du- 
ring thirty or forty years.* We also see that languages 
themselves are destroyed when two or more unlettered peo- 



* The beautiful and interesting story related in the American Jour- 
nal of Education, (No. 23, pp. 226-228,) goes not against this asser- 
tion, nor against what we have said, that children alone can learn a 
language by rote. It is there asserted, and we fully believe it possible, 
that an Iroquois Indian, on the borders of Canada, was brought to 
France by a French priest. Compelled to learn the theory of the 
French language before he could be permitted to go abroad, he became 
desponding and discontented. Seeing that the Indian neither by per- 
suasion nor flattery could be induced to study, the priest took him at 
once to Paris. There, at the sight of so many objects, and such a 
magnificent display of novelties, he soon learned the French language, 
as the priest himself had learned the Iroquois, by rote, or practice. 

From this it is apparent, that this whole time the Indian was becom- 
ing acquainted with objects which he had not seen before, the oral rep- 
resentation of which became identified in his own mind with the ob- 
jects themselves. He was not conscious of other sounds representing 
the same objects, and thus they could not interfere with those he was 
acquiring. The same might be said in regard to the priest's learning 
the Iroquois language, had he not possessed the power to register the 
new sounds as he heard them, and, by the habit of learning other lan- 
guages, to avail himself of other means, besides mere practice, to ac- 
complish his end. 

29* 



342 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



pie are united, and that from them new dialects arise. 
When was it, that the Spanish, French, and Italian lan- 
guages were formed ? When letters were involved in the 
darkness of ignorance, when the sounds uttered by the 
barbarians of the North, and those of the polished people 
of the West, were, by the entire abandonment of rules, 
indistinctly sounded, imperfectly heard, and miserably blen- 
ded. 

We think that after our mother tongue has once become 
the instrument and representation of thought, no other lan- 
guage can be acquired, unless it be by a comparison of 
sounds as well as of structure ; unless we preserve separate 
and distinct the native and the acquired idiom.* In our 
childhood every word in our mind was considered and felt 
as a component part of an object ; every peculiarity of ex- 
pression, as the very idea it was meant to represent. No 
art or rule was therefore necessary to convey ideas which 
were conceived with the manner of conveying them. But 
when we must separate ideas from the words with which 
we have been accustomed to express them, and at once un- 
derstand and think with new signs and new combinations ; 
may we not naturally ask, Is there no rule, no principle 
upon which this is founded, no art by which it may be ac- 
quired ? 

This principle, this rule, this art was presented to man, 
when the discovery of writing was first made. It is indeed 



* We think it almost unnecessary to observe, that from this general 
rule, we must except those objects with which we are not acquainted. 
It is evident that at whatever period of our life we see an object never 
seen before, we learn the word that represents it, as we learned our 
mother tongue. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 343 



worthy of surprise, that written signs, so long subsequent 
to language, should be the only means by which language 
itself can be preserved, advanced, and well acquired. 
Grammars, dictionaries, and all the elementary aids we 
possess to improve language, and to register it with the 
greatest precision, are the consequence of that mighty in- 
vention. Hence if we wish to acquire a foreign tongue 
well, as spoken, we must begin to study it, as written. If 
we have learned it as written, art is presupposed ; and art 
without rule, is as imperfect as rule without practice. 

Considering languages as spoken and written, our moth- 
er tongue alone, as we have endeavoured to prove, can be 
perfectly learned by rote. All the rest must be acquired 
by written signs, and written rules. Indeed we know no 
other way to guard the ear against catching sounds imper- 
fectly, or to prevent the obstruction of our progress from 
the want of repetition. We are acquainted with no other 
manner of preparation to understand, and use accurately, 
spoken words ; with no other guide to direct us properly 
in the practice of the language. 

Experience has fully shown, that in no science can rules 
be perfectly understood, unless practice makes them clear ; 
and practice cannot be well commenced, unless principles 
are followed. Any method or system in which there is no 
combination of principles and practice, we repeat, must be 
imperfect. The abstruse rules of grammar cannot be fully 
understood, unless the language from which they are drawn 
be also understood ; nor on the other hand, can the language 
itself be understood, unless the manner of its arrange- 
ment, and the rules by which it is directed, be also known. 

This combination has been preserved in all sciences ex- 
cept in the science of teaching languages. Here, strange 



344 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



as it may appear, where theory and practice are most dis- 
tinctly marked, the ideas of general theorists have run in- 
to wild extremes. At one time we hear, that grammar 
alone can teach language, and at another, that, since prac- 
tice is the object, rule is absurd. Of the two extremes, 
the latter is less objectionable, because with it something 
may be learned. However, of late years the tide of improve- 
ment has been so strong, that it has carried away in its 
course even the science of teaching languages. 

Hence we think that the Reviewers have dealt unfairly 
in regard to the professors of the present day, in depicting, 
in so sad colors, a manner of instruction which in truth 
does not exist. The labor of wielding ponderous lexicons 
and of ' digital ' operations, so lamentingly portrayed, are im- 
aginary.* As far as we have had opportunity to examine, 
we have found that in regard to the Greek and Latin 



* " Every one will admit," say they (Edin. Rev. No. 87, pp. 52-3), 
a that of all the disgusting labors of life, the labor of lexicon and diction- 
ary, is the most intolerable. Nor is there a greater object of compas- 
sion than a fine boy full of animal spirits, set down in a bright sunny 
day, with an heap of unknown words before him to be turned into En- 
lish, before supper, by the help of a ponderous dictionary alone." — 
" We doubt very much," continue they, a little farther, " if an average 
boy, between ten and fourteen, will look out or find more than sixty 
words in an hour ; we say nothing at present of the time employed in 
thinking of the meaning of each word when he has found it, but of the 
mere naked discovery of the word in the lexicon or dictionary." Then 
they go on in supposing that for a Greek word the child has found sev- 
enteen Latin meanings, and make a most doleful conclusion. We al- 
ways thought that the Edinburgh boys began to translate Greek, not 
with c Hederick's Lexicon,' but with the excellent work called Collec- 
tanea Grceca Minora, to which a vocabulary is attached, where the 
lad finds the precise meaning which the word in the original requires. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



345 



tongues, good instructers require of grammar only the conju- 
gations and declensions before they oblige the student to 
practise on them by composition and translation. He ad- 
vances in grammar as he advances in the language, or 
rules are taught him in proportion as practice becomes 
more difficult. For this purpose, elementary books have 
been published, in a variety of forms, and adapted to the 
tender age of students. To begin to practise on the de- 
clensions of nouns and adjectives, and on the conjugations 
of verbs, exercises containing only these three parts of 
speech have been annexed to some grammars. Easy books 
in these languages are also soon put into the hands of the 
student, that the practice of translation be not unneces- 
sarily delayed. Thus the great lexicons are only used 
by those who enter universities, or feel anxious to be- 
come in theory and practice profoundly acquainted with 
these tongues. Had the great Locke lived to see the 
present mode of instruction, he would have never spoken 
so harshly of grammar, and his immortal name would not 
have been borrowed to support an unfounded theory. 

Having thus given our opinion in regard to the various 
modes proposed, to teach languages, and having concluded 
that to learn them, rule and practice must go hand in hand, 
we shall briefly sketch our idea of a plan by which this 
may, according to our humble opinion, be in some measure 
accomplished. 

The method consists in translating, writing, and speak- 
ing the language we wish to learn ; first by rule and prac- 
tice, abandoning the rule, as we make nearer and nearer 
approaches to perfection in practice. At present we shall 
state the plan in regard to translation only, a specimen of 
which in the Latin and Greek languages, is annexed to 



346 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



these observations.* In taking a view of the various 
branches into which the learning of languages is divided, 
we find that translation is, after all, the most important, as 
upon it, are founded all the rest. We shall however, at the 
conclusion of these observations, offer a few hints, crude 
and indigested, on pursuing the study of language after 
some skill in translation has been obtained. 

Our impression is, that the great secret of acquiring a 
power of translating foreign idioms in their true spirit and 
with rapidity, consists in tracing, or gathering by induction, 
the'general rules of a language from the particulars on which 
they are founded, and at the same time preventing the lan- 
guage itself, as far as possible, from having any interference 
with the tongue through which we begin to learn it. So 
far grammars and dictionaries are of absolute necessity, 
but they must be considered as mere auxiliaries, and the 
language itself as the chief instrument of its acquisition. 
We therefore think that individuals should commence 
learning a foreign language by translating pieces, the con- 
tents and style of which would be proportioned to the corn- 
prehension of the student, if written in his own mother 
tongue. In translating, he should be made acquainted 
with the history of every word grammatically considered, 
and with its meaning as compared with the equivalent in 
his own language. As soon as the exemplification of any 
grammatical rule should be produced by the language it- 
self, facilities ought to be afforded him to trace the princi- 
ple upon which it is founded. No peculiarity of idiom 



* These two specimens were kindly furnished us by two competent 
gentlemen, a few days after a conversation held with them on the, 
subject of this mode. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 347 



ought to be left unnoticed ; each should be explained and 
translated both literally and freely, that the student may, 
through it, conceive the idea conveyed. On no occasion 
should the meaning of any sentence be conceived for the 
student, but he should himself, with every aid possible, con- 
ceive it by inference, or in other words through the medium 
of his own understanding. For we should always bear in 
mind that the moment a translation is given, the student 
does not understand the meaning through the original, but 
is in much the same case as if he read Homer and Virgil 
in Pope's and Dryden's translations. 

We have seen various books, in which some of these 
principles are practically shown. The best among them 
is a work entitled " The Five Books of the iEsopian Fables 
of Phsedrus, with a Numerical Key, &,c. and also the Notes 
of Peter Danet for the use of the Dauphin, translated into 
English ; to which is added a copious Parsing Index, con- 
taining every Word in the Fables, with their proper Eng- 
lish, and a Grammatical Praxis on them, referring to the 
rules of grammar, &c. By N. Bailey." (17th Edition, 
London, 1801. 1 vol. 8vo.) 

In this work we find the plan that we propose in some 
measure exemplified, as far as the words separately and dis- 
connected are concerned. But we should like to have 
found the grammar and the idiom of the language explain- 
ed, instead of some general notes, many of which should 
have been inserted in the vocabulary. The numerical key 
" adjoining to each line, directing how to take the words 
in construing in a proper order," is, we think; injudicious, 
because the student should endeavour from the beginning 
to gather the sense fully from the arrangement of the words 
in the original. In learning Latin or Greek, young students 



348 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



reap the great advantage of becoming acquainted with lan- 
guages which not only are second to none in elegance, rich- 
ness, grandeur, and sublimity, but which afterwards render 
the study of the Italian, Spanish, and French easy of ac- 
quisition. Compelled to gather the sense of those langua- 
ges from the peculiar connexion of words and their various 
modifications, the students train themselves to habits of 
metaphysical investigation, and their power of perception 
becomes greatly quickened. These are inestimable advan- 
tages, and these alone would be sufficient to induce us to 
think that no good Latin or Greek scholar ever enlisted in 
the band of those who declaim against the propriety of in- 
troducing these languages into the system of modern edu- 
cation. Every mode of teaching them which tends to di- 
minish these advantages, loses, in our view, half its merits. 

We are therefore encouraged to propose the following 
plan of a book, which we think would afford, we know not 
how effectually, the advantages of rule and practice in 
the manner we have explained.* The book is supposed to 
be the first that should be put into the hands of the stu- 
dent. 

A collection of about 150 pages of well selected pieces 
in the language we wish to learn should be made, and ar- 
ranged progressively according to their difficulty. At the 
bottom of every page a short but clear explanation of eve- 
ry grammatical point exemplified in the text should be giv- 



* The plan has already been adapted to the Spanish and French, for 
those who speak English. However imperfect these books may have 
been, in the execution of the design, their success, and the increased 
demand for them, strengthen us in a belief, that the plan is not alto- 
gether unworthy of more extensive trial. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



319 



en ; and every peculiarity of idiom, nicety of expression, 
and subtilty of language, fully elucidated. It is apparent 
that in this manner the student would practically learn the 
rules of grammar and the difference of idiom. He would, 
as we said, deduce from the language itself the rules, and 
by them become acquainted with the original, from which 
the rules themselves were drawn.* 

Those who have learned a foreign tongue, if they have 
at all attended to the operations of their own minds, will 
have experienced the great disadvantage of having the 
words in the original and their equivalents immediately 
before the eye. This prevents the faculty of impressing 
things on our understanding, from being exercised upon 
the original words that are to be remembered ; and super- 
sedes at once the necessity of attention. On going to a dic- 
tionary the case is far otherwise. The student carries the 
w r ord in his mind, which he must either repeat or retain with 
caution, that its signification may be obtained by the first at- 
tempt. The signification thus gathered is intimately con- 
nected with the object the foreign word represents, as this 
alone occupies the mind through all the process of search 
and comparison. 

It is however, well known, that no dictionary can con- 
tain every term both proper and common, primitive and 
derivative, which the student has a right to find. Nor can 
any one deny that there is some inconvenience attending 
the handling of a lexicon, and the consumption of time in 

* We suppose also, particularly in transpositive languages, that those 
cases which do not differ in modification, should at first be marked ; 
and verbs also, that they may be easily distinguished from the other 
parts of speech, particularly from adjectives and participles, to which 
they often bear a very close resemblance. 

30 



350 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



mere mechanical labor, in looking over page after page, un- 
til the desired word is found. Every word therefore, with- 
out exception, contained in the selection, fully analysed, 
and explained with one, two, or more meanings, should be 
attached in the form of a small vocabulary to the book it- 
self. Thus the student would, without much difficulty of 
search, trace every word to its origin, at the same time 
that he would become acquainted with its true significa- 
tion. If he felt a desire to trace the word through its 
various ramifications either of case, tense, person, or mood, 
no obstacle would impede his course, no intricacy beset his 
path. Acquainted with the origin of the word, he could 
go to any grammar* and have his difficulties immediately 
settled. 

From this it is abundantly plain, that with all the aid 
afforded to the student, still he must find the meaning of 
the original himself, still he must infer, from the varied and 
intricate combination of words, the sense of the author. 
We know, by experience, that after a student has gone 
through a book of this kind, he has become practically ac- 
quainted with grammar, and is prepared to read, without 
much difficulty, any other work with the assistance of a 
dictionary alone. f 



* We suppose, the whole time, that the student may or may not, as 
the instructed thinks proper, use a grammar. But we insist upon his 
not advancing in theory without practice, or practice without theory. 
Hence in the explanatory notes frequent reference should be made to 
some standard grammar, that by constantly studying the regular declen- 
sions of nouns, the conjugations of verbs, and the rules of sj^ntax, the 
student may by degrees nx them firmly in his mind. 

f After the student has gone through the book proposed, the teacher 
may select any other in ihe foreign language he may think proper. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



351 



Thus far will the book we propose advance the student; 
but if he feel anxious to proceed farther, he should imme- 
diately write exercises on all the rules he has practically 
acquired;* and endeavour, by every exertion possible to 
carry in his mind the words of the original. Thus his 
mind will, by degrees, insensibly operate in the language 
he wishes to learn, and the language itself become iden- 
tified with his own ideas. 

After having been practising for a short time on the ex- 
ercises of the grammar, it should be the peculiar care both 
of the teacher and student to carry on their discourse in 
the language taught. Here we must indeed express our 
surprise and astonishment that even good teachers should 
abandon this practice in the ancient languages, a practice, 
which when well considered, is of incalculable advantage. 
During this exercise no consideration should induce the 
teacher to translate the sentences which are not under- 
stood^ repetition and explanation should at all times be 
substituted. On the other hand, the student should, by 
every mental effort possible, endeavour to conceive the 
words in the language he wishes to learn. No study, what- 



* There are many excellent works in which the advantage of rules, 
and exercises upon them, is to be found. Yet we know not of a Greek 
or Latin Grammar, which comprises these two advantages. In Latin 
this is generally supplied by Adam's Grammar, and Mail 's Introduction ; 
in Greek, by Valpy's or the Gloucester Greek Grammar, by Dam- 
phoux's translation of Burnouf, or Everett's translation of Buttmann, 
and Neilson's Exercises. 

f When we speak of sentences, we do not mean to include separate 
words. The signification of these, if not understood., may be given ; 
but the sense of the whole sentence must be inferred by the student, 
except on very rare occasions. 



352 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



ever it be, can in our opinion, afford a greater facility than 
this for entering with rapidity into the spirit of the new 
tongue. 

In case the language be modern, and the student should 
wish to practise speaking by himself, he may in some 
measure accomplish it. Let him obtain a perfect knowledge 
of all the vowel sounds in the language, which are very 
few, but which, on account of their various modifications, 
offer great difficulties to him who is anxious to know them 
with any degree of accuracy and precision. After this, it 
is the province of the student to find out, whether the lan- 
guage is accented and emphasized, as the English, or 
whether it has an equilibrium of quantity, or a certain 
dwelling on the vowels, as the French, which makes the 
sound of it appear, at first, monotonous. He should then 
make a practice of reading aloud books, which he under- 
stands, one or two hours every day, imitating at first his 
teacher, and he would thus in a few weeks, be able to fol- 
low his own ideas on the pronunciation. Were this prac- 
tice continued for a few months, we would almost ensure 
success to the student in speaking. 

We have supposed that translation, or reading, in the 
original, pieces more and more difficult, has been all along 
kept up ; and consider the student now, as having gone 
through the exercises in the grammar. He must then 
come to the conclusion, that his object is to write and 
speak the language as an accomplished native, and that his 
knowledge of it will always be measured by this standard. 
Now we think that this end is attainable ; not, however, 
without much difficulty. It will be observed that our great 
aim in the plan proposed, has been to lead the student by 
degrees to think, and conceive ideas, in the language he 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. J33 

wishes to know.* The genius of a nation is embodied in 
their language ; and the peculiarities of their character in 
their peculiarities of expression. As soon as the student is 
possessed of the power of understanding any language, he 
becomes possessed also of the power of conceiving the pe- 
culiar genius of the people who speak it ; and by practice 
he will use their language as themselves. 

To facilitate this important object, the student, after be- 
coming practically and theoretically acquainted with gram- 
mar and translation ; and after having, in some measure, 
acquired a power of thinking with, and uttering the words 
he has acquired, should select pieces the most admired for 
perspicuity and elegance of style, of the most polished 
writers in that language. We shall suppose, to illustrate our 
idea, Herodotus and Xenophon in Greek ; Cicero and Livy 
in Latin ; Buffon and Massillon in French ; Cervantes 
and Sobs in Spanish. A paragraph in one of these authors 
should be transcribed and well digested, that the student 
may feel all the beauty of the diction. Then he should 
exerc <se himself in arranging the words contained in the 
paragraph in every variety of form elegant or inelegant, 
that would grammatically convey the same ideas. 

During this exercise the operations of the student's mind 
are constantly carried on in the language of those au- 
thors ; f their expressions and their manner of arrange- 



* We have always thought that what is called a genius for languages 
consists in having a great facility in conceiving ideas, and in dwelling 
on them, in any language as far as our knowledge of it is extended, 
without the interference of any other known at the time. 

f The only evidence we can have of our being well versed in a for- 
eign language is, to have obtained the power of conceiving ideas and 
thinking with it, as far as our mind is capable of operating. 
30* 



354 OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



ment become fixed in his memory, and by a comparison of 
the various constructions, his taste will soon become elegant 
and polished. After he has thus practised for a few months, 
it is not expected that he will write like Cicero or Massil- 
lon ; but he will write in the true spirit of their language, 
and by practice in composition, he will become, to say the 
least, their worthy disciple.* 

Observations in regard to speaking a language like a 
polished native, would carry us beyond the limits of our 
present intention. We think it can be, and that it has 
been, accomplished. The opinion, then, that two different 
languages at a time, cannot be spoken with accuracy and 
precision, is, according to us, not strictly correct. To at- 
tain this desirable end, the practice of speaking is unques- 
tionably necessary. But it should be remembered that 
whether we be in the country where the language is used 
or not, we cannot be all the while practising. We think 
that the practice of reading loud, may, in a very great de- 
gree, supersede the necessity of speaking. If a diligent 
student will exert himself, by repeated efforts, to obtain 
the right pronunciation of the vowel sounds, and by atten- 
tion, become sensible of the peculiar characteristic or in- 
tonation of sound in whole sentences ; he will, we venture 
to predict, not remain long without conversing with a good 
degree of native accent and fluency. 

It is to be lamented that learned philologists and deep 
philosophers have made language either a subject of pro- 

* We must here remark, that conversing upon the subject of lan- 
guage, with Professor Kingsley, of Yale College, in New Haven, he 
mentioned to us this last plan of transcription as of great importance. 
At that time we had already experienced its utility, and were happy to 
find that it had attracted the attention cf so skilful and profound a lin- 
guist, and that it had merited his approbation. 



OBSERVATIONS ON TRANSLATION. 



355 



found investigation, or considered it as the mere effect of 
chance and wild consent. They have consequently direct- 
their researches to the elucidation of metaphysical dis- 
tinctions, or endeavoured to prove that languages are mere 
modifications of some few roots, belonging to some general 
primitive dialect. However interesting and useful such 
speculative investigations may be, they do not advance in 
the least the science of learning or teaching language. Of 
what consequence would it be to him who is desirous of 
knowing the English tongue, to learn that 1 by } is the pro- 
duction of refined thought and metaphysical advancement ; 
the modification of some word of a lost language, or the 
abbreviation of a long sentence ? What he ought and 
would like to know, is, in what manner he can soon become 
as familiar with that word as he who has used it since his 
earliest infancy. 

We should wish that men possessed of great powers in 
acquiring languages would take notice of the operations of 
their own minds, and manifest to the world by what princi- 
ple and in what manner, they arrived at the knowledge of 
so many idioms. It is not those who possess the most re- 
tentive memory, the quickest penetration, or the most pro- 
found judgment, that can learn languages most rapidly ; 
but those who, endued with good powers of mind, have, by 
an instinctive proneness, or a concurrence of circumstan- 
ces, directed all their energies to this part of philology, and 
have ultimately discovered a short path for its acquisition. 
If such men, instead of amazing the world with their 
discoveries of analogies and etymologies, would only tell 
us in what way others can also become analogists and ety- 
mologists, we should soon have no reason to complain that 
so little has been done, on a subject in regard to which so 
much remains yet to be accomplished. 



SPECIMENS 

OF THIS 

SYSTEM OF TRANSLATION. 



[It may not be improper to remark, before we give any 
specimen of this mode of translation, that in proportion as 
the text is increased, the notes and vocabulary are relatively 
diminished. It must not therefore be supposed that every 
half page would require sixteen long notes, and four or five 
pages of vocabulary, as is the case in the present Latin 
specimen. We think that the notes and vocabulary would 
occupy two thirds of a book, containing three hundred 
pages. 

In the present plan it is supposed that the student is al- 
ready initiated into the principles of the English language, 
and is acquainted with the technical terms of grammar, for 
without these aids he cannot properly begin the study of 
Latin by translation.] 



DE DIONYSIO SYRACUSANO. 



Cum quidam 11, s * * ex ejus assentatoribus, Damocles, com- 
memoraret in sermone copias ejus, 1 opes, majestatem 2 dom- 
inates,^ s. rerum abundantiam, 3 magnificentiam sedium re- 

* As it has been found expedient to mark, in the first pages of the 
book, those cases which change without the modification of the last 
letter or syllable, we think proper to annex an explanation of the signs 
used to express such cases : n. s. is used to signifiy, nominative singu- 
lar — g. s. genitive singular — d. s. dative singular — a. s. accusative singu- 
lar — ab. s. ablative singular ; — n. p. nominative plural — g. p. genitive 
plural, &c. 

1 Copias ejus, literally, c the wealth of him.' In English we should 
say, * his wealth.' The word ejus is translated in similar instances by 
c his,' 6 hers,' or ' its.' 1 It is sometimes understood, as may be perceived 
Jin regard to the succeeding words, opes, dominates, rerum, cedium. 

2 Majestatem, 6 the majesty. 5 The want of articles in the Latin 
often occasions obscurity, particularly to beginners. The English article 
* a ' is sometimes to be supplied before the noun, or adjective, some- 
times 1 the ' and, in many instances, no article is wanted. 

3 Rerum abundantiam. The English order would be, abundantiam 
rerum, £ the abundance of his possesions.' In this translation it may 
be seen that two words of Latin are rendered by five of English. Not 
only an article and pronoun are supplied, but also the preposition * of.' 
It may be here observed in regard to prepositions, that in Latin the 
use of them is not so frequent as in English, the various relations which 
words bear to each other being generally expressed by certain modifica 
tions of the radical word, themselves expressive of prepositions. These 



360 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



giarum ; negaretque 4 unquam beatiorem quenquam 5 fuisse ; 
" Visne igitur inquit, " Damocle, quoniam haec n * s - te a « 8 * 
vita n,s ' delectatp ipse eandem degustare, et fortunam expe- 

modifications are called cases, and are divided into six classes, thus : 
The Nominative, or radical word. 
Genitive, expressive of £ of.' 
Dative, expressive of ( to, 4 for,' &c. 

Accusative, expressive of no preposition, or the preposition 
'to.' 

Vocative, expressive of the interjection 6 O,' or an address. 
Ablative, expressive of the prepositions ' with,' 6 from,' c by.' 

For a full and correct idea of this part of grammar, the student is 
referred to Adam's Latin Grammar, improved by B. A. Gould j pages 
16, 17, 18, &c. Boston edit. 1827. 

4 Negaretque, ' and denied.' The conjunctions, que, c and,' ne 
(when it denotes interrogation), and ve ' or,' are never found alone, but 
form syllables at the end of other words. Thus, in the next line, 
visne. Vis, alone, signifies 6 thou wilt,' visne ? wilt thou ? So quid ? 
' why ? ' quidve ? 6 or why ? ' These syllabic additions are called 
enclitics. 

6 In Latin an infinitive has an accusative before it. This accusative 
in English is expressed by the particle e that as, unquam beatiorem 
quenquam fuisse, 6 that any one was ever happier.' See Adam's 
Latin Grammar, 'Rule IV, page 168. 

6 Quoniam hcec te vita deleciat. According to the English idiom, 
quoniam hxc vita dtlectat te, 6 since this mode of life delights thee.' 

The student has already seen that the order of Latin sentences often 
differs from that which would seem the most natural in English. There 
being no infallible rules respecting the order of words, it will be suffi- 
cient for the present to observe ; 1st, that the verb is usually placed 
nearer the end of the sentence than in English ; 2dly, that the object, 
as well as the agent, often precedes the verb. 3dly, that the adjective 
is^frequently separated by two, three, or more words from the substan- 
tive to which it refers. The verb, then, may be considered as the .key 
of the sentence, and is so important, that it will be expedient^) 
indicate it by italics, throughout the first] jpart of fc any^ book on a this 
jlan. I 



SPECIMEN'S OF TRANSLATION. 



361 



riri meam ? " Cum se a,s - 7 ille cuperc dizisset, collocari jus- 
sit 8 hominem in aureo ab - s * lecto, ab - s - strato ab * s - pulcherrime 
textili ab - s - stragulo, ab,s ' magnificis ab - P- operibus ab# p* pic- 
to; abs * abacosque complures 3, p* oniavit argento^ s « au- 
roque ab,s ' caelato. ab - s * Turn ad mensain eximia forma pue- 
ros delectos jussit consistere, eosque ejus nutum intuen- 
tes a> P* 9 diligenter ministrare, Adcrant unguenta, 11 - p coro- 
nas ; n *P« inccndebantur odores; n -P- mensae conquisitissi- 
m i s ab. P , epu!is ab -P* ezstruebantur. Fortunatus sibi d - s - 10 
Damocles videbatur. 

In hoc medio ab * s - apparatu, ab - s * 11 fulgentem gladium, e 
lacunari, ab - s * seta equina aptum, 8,8 * demitti jussit, ut im- 
penderet illius beatis ,s - cervicibus. d - p* 12 



7 Se cupere, e himself to desire,' i. e. 6 that he desired.' Id, ( it,' is 
understood after cupere. 

8 Jussit, i he commanded,' as, collocari jussit hominem, e he (Dio- 
nysius) ordered the man to be placed.' In the Latin language the 
personal pronouns, ego, e I,' tu, ' thou,' ille, 6 he,' 6 it,' &c. are always 
understood, except when different persons are to be designated, or 
when the pronouns are supposed to give additional energy to the sen- 
tence. 

9 The rules of agreement are in themselves easy ; yet considering the 
many participles with which the Latin language abounds, they frequent- 
ly offer no inconsiderable difficulty to the learner. Jussit, understood, 
governs, in the above sentence, eos in the accusative, to be translated 
in the same manner as we mentioned in note 5. Intuentes is a parti- 
ciple from intueor, agreeing with eos, in case and number; as ; eosque 
ejus nutum intuentes, diligenter ministrare, e and [ordered] them 
attending to his nod, to serve diligently.' See Adam's Latin Gram- 
mar, pages 166 — 16S. 

10 Sibi videbatur 6 to himself was seen,' or c seemed to himself.' 

11 In hoc medio apparatu, ' in this middle parade ' ; i. e. 4 in the 
midst of this parade.' 

12 Cervicibus. Cervix, 6 the neck,' is sometimes used in the plural 

31 



362 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



Itaque nec 13 pulchros illos ministratores aspiciebat, nec 13 
plenum a - s * artis argentum, a - s - nec manum porrigebat in 
mensam ; jam ipsae 14 defiuebant coronae ; n -P* denique exora- 
vit tyrannum, ut abire liceret, 15 quod jam beatus nollet 
esse. 16 

Cicero, Tusculance Disputationes, lib. v, cap. 21. 



to signify ' the shoulders ' ; as, illius beati cervicibus, c over the shoul- 
ders of him happy.' 

13 JVec nec, commencing two or more corresponding 

members of a sentence, must be translated, e neither nor ' ; 

as, nec pulchros illos ministratores aspiciebat, nec plenum artis 
argentum, c he neither looked upon these beautiful attendants, nor on 
the silver, full of work.' 

14 Ipsce may come after coronce. 6 The chaplets themselves.' 

15 Ut abiret liceret, ' that to depart it might be lawful ' ; i. e. ' that he 
might be permitted to depart.' 

16 Beatus nollet esse, ( happy he did not wish to be ' ; i. e. 1 he had 
no desire to be happy.' 

Damocles is supposed to have used the word beatus, ironically, and 
in allusion to his previous use of it (beatiorem.) His meaning was ? 
that he had no longer any desire to enjoy such a kind of happiness, 



VOCABULARY. 



A. 

Abacos, from abacus, s. m. acc.pl. tables, side-boards. 
Abire, abeo, v. n. pres. inf. to depart. 

Abundantiam, abundantia, s.f. acc. sin. (the) abundance. 
Ad, prep, to, at, in. 

Aderant, adsum, v. n. imperf. ind. 3. pi. were there, were added. 
iEdium, jEDEs, s.f. gen.pl. houses. 

Apparatu, apapratus, s. m. abl. sin. parade, entertainment. 

Aptum, APTUs,^ar£. acc. sin. tied. 

Argento, argentum, s. n. abl. sin. (with) silver. 

Argentum,* s. n. acc. sin. (the) silver. 

Artis, ars, s.f. gen. sin. (of) art. 

Aspiciebat, aspicio, v. a. imperf. ind. 3. sin. (he) beheld, looked 
upon. 

Assentatoribus, assentator, s. m. abl. pi. (the) flatterers. 
Aureo, aureus, adj. abl. sin. gilded, gilt. 
Auro, aurum, s. ?n. abl. sin. (with) gold. 

B. 

Beati, beatus^^'. gen. sin. happy. 

Beatiorem, beatior, comparative of beatus, adj. acc. sin. happier, 
Beatus, adj. nom. sin, happy, blest. 

a 

Cselato, cjelatus, from o^lo, part. abl. sin. embossed. 



*Whenever the derivation of a word is not annexed, it must be un- 
derstood that the word is primitive, that it does not vary from its origi- 
nal form, or that it is indeclinable. 



364 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



Cervicibus, cervix, s.f. dat.pl. (the) neck, shoulders. 
Cicero, s. prop* m. nom. sin. Cicero. 
Collocari, colloco, v. pass. pres. inf. to be placed. 
Commeinoraret, commemoro, v. a. imperf. subj. would recount, or 
recounted. 

Complures, adj. acc. pi. many, a great many. 

Conquisitissimis, cojvquisitissimus, superlative of conqui situs, 

adj. Sr part. abl. pi. rarest, daintiest. 
Consistere, consisto,v. n. pres. inf. to stand, to wait. 
Copias, copia, s.f. acc.pl. wealth, riches. 
Coronae, coroiva, s.f. nonx.pl. crowns, chaplets. 
Cum, adv. when, as. 
Cupere, cupio, v. a. pres. inf. to desire. 

D. 

Damocle, damocles, s. prop. m. voc. sin. O Damocles. 
Damocles, s. prop. m. nom. sin. Damocles. 
De,prep. of, about. 

Defluebant, defluo, v. n. imperf ind. 3. pi. fell down, fell off. 
Degustare, degusto, v. a. pres. inf. to taste, to try. 
Deiectat, delecto, v. a. pres. ind. delights, pleases. 
Delectos, delectus, from deligo, part. acc. pi. chosen. 
Demitti, demitto, v. pass. pres. inf. to be let down. 
Denique, adv. finally. 
Diligenter, adv. diligently, carefully. 

Dionysio, dionysius, s. prop. m. abl. sin. Dionysius, a tyrant of Sicily. 
Disputationes, disputatio, s.f. nom.pl. disputations, debates. 
Dixisset, dico, v. a. pluperf. subj. had said, or said. 
Dominates, s. m. gen. sin. dominion, sovereignty. 

E. 

'E.prep. from, of. 

Eandem, isdem, pron.f. acc. sin. (the) same. 

Ejus, is, ea, id, pron. m. gen. sing, his, of him. 

Eos, is, ea. id, pron. acc.pl. m. them. 

Epulis, epul^, s.f. ab.pl. (with) banquets, dishes. 

Equina, equinus, adj. abl. sin. of or belonging to a horse. 

Esse, sum, v. subst. pres. inf. to be, 

Et, conj. and. 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



Ex, prep, of, from. 

Eximi% eximius, adj. abl. sin. (of) extraordinaiy. 
Exoravit, exoro, v. a. per/, ind. besought, implored. 
Experiri, experior, v. dep. pres. inf. to try, to experience, 
Exstruebantur, exstruo, v. pass, imperf. ind, were furnished. 

F. 

Forma, s.f. abl. sin. beauty, comeliness. 
Fortunam, fortuna, s.f. acc. sin. fortune. 
Fortunatus, adj. ?iom. sin. fortunate, happy. 
Fuisse, sum, v. subst. perf. inf to have been. 
Fulgentem, fulgens, part. acc. sin. glittering. 

G. 

Gladium, gladius,s. m. ace. sin. (a) sword. 

H. 

Haec, hic, h^c, hoc, pron.f nom. sin, this. 
Hoc, pron. m. abl. sin. this ; see Hcec. 
Hominem, homo, s. com. acc. sin. (the) man. 

I. 

Igitur, conj. therefore, then. 

Ille, pron. m. nom. sin. he. 

Elius, ille, jpro?i. m. gen. sin. of him, his. 

Illos, ille, pron. m. acc.pl. those, them. 

Impenderet, impendo, v. n. imperf. subj. 3. sin. should hang oven 
In, prep, toward?, in, on. 

Incendebantur, incejvdo, v. pass, imperf. ind. 3. pi, were burned. 

Inquit, inquam, v. defect, pres. ind. said (he). 

Intuentes, intueor, v. dep. pres. part, acc.pl. attending to. 

Ipsae, ipse, pron. f nom.pl. themselves. 

Ipse, pron. m. nom. sin. self; (tu) ipse, yourself. 

Itaque, adv. therefore, consequently. 

X 

Jam, adv. besides, furthermore, now. 

Jussit, jubeo, v. a. perf ind, 3. sin. he commanded, ordered 
31* 



366 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



L. 

Lacunari, lacunar, s. n. abl. sin. the roof, ceiling. 
Lecto, lectus, s, m. abl. sin. (a) couch. 

Liceret, licet, v. impers. imperf. subj. 3. sin. it might be lawful. 

M. 

Magnificentiam, magnificentia, s.f. acc. sin. magnificence. 
Magnificis, magnificus, adj. abl.pl. sumptuous. 
Majestatem, majestas, s.f. acc. sin. majesty, grandeur. 
Manum, manus, s.f. acc. sin. (his) hand. 
Meam, mlexjs, pron.f acc. sin. my. 
Medio, medius, adj. abl. sin. middle, midst. 
Mensse, mensa, s.f. nom. pi. tables. 
Mensam, mensa, s.f. acc. sin. (the) table. 
Ministrare, ministro, v. n. pres. inf. to attend, to minister. 
Ministratoies, ministrator, s. m. acc. pi. attendants, waiters. 

N. 

Nec, conj. neither, nor. 

Negaret, nego, v. n. imperf. subj. 3. sin. would deny, or denied. 
Nollet, nolo, v. n. imperf. subj. 3. sin. he did not wish. 
Nutum, nutus, s. m, acc. sin. nod, command. 

O. 

Odores, odor, s. m. nom. pi. perfumes. 

Operibus, opus, s. n. abl. pi. (with) workmanship. 

Opes, s.f acc.pl. power. 

Ornavit, orno, v. a. perf ind. 3. sin. he decorated. 

P. 

Picto, pictus, from piNGo,^arf. abl. sin. painted, adorned. 
Plenum, plexus, adj. acc. sin. full. 

Porrigebat, porrigo, v. a. imperf ind. 3. sin. did he extend, stretched 
forth. 

Pueros, puer, s. m. acc. pi. boys, pages. 

Pulcherrime, superl. from pulchre x , adv. most beautifully. 

Pulchros, pulcher, adj. acc. pi. comely, fair. 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



367 



Q. 

Quenquam, quisquam, pron. m. acc. sin. any one. 
Quidam, pron. m. nom. sin. some one, a certain one. 
Quod, conj. for, because, since. 
Quoniam, conj. since, for as much as. 

R. 

Regiarum, regitjs, adj. gen. pi. royal. 

Rerum, res, s.f. gen. pi. (of) things, possessions. 

S. 

Se, suij pron. m. acc. sin. himself. 
Sermone, sermo, s. m. abl. sing, (in) conversation. 
Seta, s.f. abl. sin. (by a) hair. 
Sibi, sui, pron. in. dot. sin. to himself. 
Stragulo, stragulum, s. n. abl. sin. (with a) covering. 
Strato, stratus, from steb.no, part. abl. sin. spread over, covered. 
Syracusano, Syracusanus, adj. abl. sing, (the) Syracusan, of Syra- 
cuse. 

T. 

Te, tu, pron. acc. sin. thee. 
Textili, adj. abl. sin. embroidered. 
Turn, adv. then. 

Tusculanae, adj. nom.pl. Tusculan, appertaining to Tusculum, a place 
where Cicero had a villa in which these Disputations are represen- 
ted to have been held. 

Tyrannum, tyrajynus, s. m. acc. sin. the tyrant. 

U. 

Unguenta, Ungtjentum, s. m. nom. pi. ointments, perfumes. 
Unquam, adv. ever. 
Ut, adv. so that. 

V. 

Videbatur, video, v. pass, imperf. ind. 3 sin. seemed. 
Vis, volo, v. n. pres. ind. thou wilt ; visne, wilt thou ? 
Vita, s.f. nom. sin. life, way of life. 



BATPAXOI. 



€7i8{iipav*2 Tigbg tov Ala, 3 fjaoilia airolg 7i&Qaa%uv* °0 $£, 4 



1 Hm laurSv avag%iczs» The article is here separated from its substantive 
by the word luvruv, which, according to the English idiom, should be 
placed after avag%Ms» Thus, we must translate these words as if they were 
written rns avctp%'iocs lecvr2v 9 6 the anarchy of themselves,' or e their anarchy.' 
Similar instances will frequently occur. 

2 TLpia-Gus 'ire/r^av. Order in English, s^z^av tfpz<r£u$. In Greek, 
as well as in Latin, the verb is generally thrown forward from the beginning 
towards the end of a sentence. So, in this same sentence, (hatriXia avroTs 
tfccpoKrxzTv, ' a king to them to give,' must be rendered, ' to give a king to 
them,' ' to give them a king.' 

3 Tov A/a. Literally, 'the Jupiter,' in English, 6 Jupiter.' The article, 
which is often prefixed to proper names in Greek, must be omitted in trans- 
lating them into English. 

4 'O ¥z. Zsy? is understood : it is expressed in the last sentence of this 
fable under similar circumstances. 'O %\ may be translated as a pronoun^ 
<but he.' 

The article joined with s\ich particles as jph, Tt, yap, &c. is often used in 
this way for the pronoun of the third person, aires, abrh, auro, ( he, she, it.' 

5 Avruv rhv zv'/ifai&v. Literally, ' of them the folly,' to be translated, 
* the folly of them,' or 6 their folly.' 

6 K«#?*sv. To be translated next after zhhhiav. See note 2* 

* The verbs are denoted by an asterisk. 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 



369 



Kul ol fiuTqa/oi, to fAsv 7iocotov 7 v.tXTGCTilayh'Tsq tov ipocpov, 8 ug 
Ta Bddi] Ti t g llfivrjg tdvaav vutsqov ds, wg inivrrxov f t v* to 
£vlov, dvadvvjeg, ug tooutov y.aiacpQoi'i'jOSiog 10 rfK&ov* wg v.ai 
imOalrcvTsg avroj iniv.v.di^o&UL* Ai'a'ZLonu&vvitg de tolutov 
s/siv* fiaoilta,^ 1 fixov* ix devTsgts 1 ^ noog tov /III/,, xal tStov 
nagey.u/.b'r* ulla^ai* avToTg tov ao/iy/ov ' tov yao tiqmtov^ Uav 
sivai* ra)%eXij xal udoxiuov. °0 di Zevg, ayavay.T^oag xax uv- 
tcov, vdgov avioig biiuupWy*^ vcp t> ovlXafiOavo^evoL y.aTr^d^lov- 

TO* 



7 To yasv fgarov. Adjectives in the neuter gender acc. sing, and pi. are 
often used as adverbs, and joined with the article, agreeing with sr^Sy^a, 
4 thing,' or ^a'^ar*, 4 things,' understood, and governed by the preposi- 
tion *aT«, signifying 4 as to.' Thus to -z^tov, literally, * as to the 
first thing indeed,' is to be translated, 4 at first indeed.' The article 
here, according to what was observed in note 1, is separated from the sub- 
stantive 5T^ay^a, understood, or srgcorov considered as a substantive, by the 
word /u,U, 

8 Tov ipotyov. Y^cctcc, signifying, ■ by,' is understood ; xecroi tov *l>oQov t 
* by the noise.' 

9 "Eduo-av is to be translated after \J,o<pov: See note 2. 

10 Toco^rov Ka-Tci(pgovti<ri&>$. Adjectives signifying quantity in the neuter 
gender govern a genitive. 

11 Toiourov £%tiv ficcffiXiu. The order is, 'i%ziv toioutov ficurtXsot, 

12 'Ex liurigov. X^ovoy, 4 time,' is understood. Literally, it is 4 from a 
second time.' In English we should say, * a second time.' 

13 Tov ya.(> Tfjwrov. See note 1. The order is, ya,^ tov trgarov ( o\g%vyo» 
understood) Jva/, * for that the first king was.' A/av is to be joined with 

u, 'Et£ / « , v/'£v to betaken after ubruv. See note 2. 



VOCABULARY. 



A 

ayavcatryictas, ( ocyxvuxrsa ) 1. aor. part. nom. sing. m. being angry. 

aVoxifjtovt ( aYoKipos J adj. acc. sing. m. senseless. 

uxU'/irov, ( uKtvYiTos J adj. nom. sing. n. motionless. 

akXa^oa, ( u~kXa.<T<Tcd) 1. aor. inf. to change. 

avet$uv<rz$, focvu^vfjctj 2. aor. "part. nom. pi. m. having mounted, 

uvuszio-Tradouvrzs, (avDc^iotfaHoo J pres. part. nom. pi, m. being displeased. 

avoiQxiccs, (clvoiqx'ik) s.f. gen. sing, of anarchy. 

ccgwyov, ( a,£x, ,/ >y°$ ) s * m ' a cc. sing, a ruler. 

ab<ro7$, ( avro$ ) pron. dat. pi. to them. 

uvtco, ( uvros ) pron. dat. sing, upon it. 

ocvrm, ( ctvros J pron, gen. pi. of them. 

B 

$cifa 9 ( fidifos J s. n, acc. pi. depths. 
fiatrtXioc, ( fiouriXzvs J s. m. acc. sing, a king. 
P&Tg*%oh ( $K e rg<*>X°s) s ' m% nom " 2^' f^ogs. 

r 

yccg, conj. for. 

A 

Bs, adv. or conj. but, indeed. 

^tvri^ov, fSzvrtgo; J adj. gen. sing. m. second, 

A/a, fZzvsJ s. m. acc. sing. Jupiter. 

E 

itovruv, flavrov ) pron. gen.pl. of themselves, their. 

ttivtroiv, Cbvpi or ^vu) 1 aor. act. 3. pers. pi. they descended. 

uvki, ( ttfitj pres. inf. to be. 

tig, prep, governing acc. into, in, 

i», prep, governing gen. from. 

iVip^uv, ( rt'ipxw) 1. aor, act. 3. pers. pi. they sent. 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION. 371 



itfip^iVifor s*&/u,\Lz, ( vip-ru) 1. aor. act. 3. pers. sing, he sent. 
WiZxivovns, ftTTiZotlvoj) pres. part. act. nom. pi. m. mounting upon. 
tgrtxetdsZsrdeu, fi<Tixa.0l%op.cciJ pres. inf. mid. to sit upon. 
tlnfoiav, (ibrihtij s.f. acc. sing, folly. 
i% Zi h (*/C M J pres. inf. act. to have. 

Z 

Ztusf s. m. nom. sing. Jupiter. 

H 

vxov, frixuj imperf. act. 3. pers. pi. they came. 
'AX0ov y f 3 ig%opcaJ 2. aor. act. 3. pers. pi. they came. 
rv 9 ( u'fAtJ imperf. act. 3. pers. sing. was. 

K 

xa0r}%zv, ( Kcc&r/ipi) 1. aor. irreg. 3. pers. sing, for xot6nxt y he sent down. 
xcc), conj. and. 

x«t, for jcxtoi, prep, governing gen. and acc. against. 
xx-ru.<7r'kciyiv<ri$ 1 ( xxr<x.7r\'/i<T<roj J 2. aor. part. pass, nom, pi. m. being af- 
frighted. 

xctTonpgovritrzeo;, ( xotroc<p^ovy](ri$ ) s. f. gen. sing, of contempt. 
xxrn<r@iovTa, ( ' xocnffdluj imperf. pas. 3. pers. pi. they were devoured. 

A 

A/«v, adv. very. 

KtpvnSi ( xifiwj s.f. gen. sin. of the pool. 
Xtfivnv, (k'lpvn) s. f. acc. sing, the pool. 

Xwroupevoi, (Xwriu) pres. part. mid. nom. pi. m. being grieved. 

M 

ph, conj. and adv. indeed. 

N 

w^sX??, adj. acc. sing. m. sluggish. 

U 

|y/Uv, s. n. nom. sing, and acc. sing, log, 

O 

o, (oy roj article, nom. sing. m. the. 

•h ( °i ™ J article, nom. pi. m. the, 

«v, fos, *j, oj relative pron. gen. sing. m. of whom. 



372 



SPECIMENS OF TRANSLATION*. 



n 

trcigct<r%uv } ( vroiQlxa j 2. aor. inf. act. to give. 

twozkocXquv, ( tfagocxaXsco J imperf. act. 3. pers. pi. they besought. 

prep, governing the genitive ; about, concerning, for. 
tfgi r€tis 9 ( 7rgi<r£su: ) s. m. acc. pi. ambassadours. 
vrgos, prep, governing gen. dat. or acc. to. 
rt^urov, ( KQwros) adj. acc. sing. n. first. 

2 

&u\Xa.(jt,£(x,vcy.ivoi i ( truXXa/aGoivcoJ pres. part. pass. nom. pi. m. being caught 

or seized. 

(fvvibav, ( (fwztbco) 2 aor. acc. part. nom. sing. m. having perceived. 

T 

raj fo f h y to) article, acc. pi. n\ the. 
cjjv, f o, h, to ) art. acc. sing. f. the. 
ty)5j ( o, '/i, to,) art. gen. sing.f. of the. 
<ro, fo, r h, to,) art. acc. sing. n. the. 
roiovTov f ( TSiouTo$ ) adj. acc. sing. m. such a. 
vh, fo, to) art. acc. sing. m. the. 
too-outov, ( too-ovtos) adj. acc, sing. n. so much. 
tovtov, ( ovtos ) pron. acc. sing. m. him. 

T 

•figov, f vboo? ) s. m. acc. sing, a water-serpent. 
vffTigoi)) adv. afterwards, at last. 

v<p\ for vto, prep. gov. gen. by. The o is cut off because the next word 
begins with a vowel, and cr is changed into <p for the sake of harmony, 
the following vowel being aspirated. 

ij/tyov, ( ^/o(poi ) s. m. acc. sing, noise, 

a 

conj. and adv. when, so as. 



THE END. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2006 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 
(724) 779-2111 



